Darkness Reigns Supreme
by Terran34
Summary: The Emperor, aided by his comrade Exdeath discovers a way to escape the cycle. In a new world, he plots to obtain the ultimate power, but instead finds a dark power waiting for him. Who will rise to the top? Villain-Centric. Somewhat dark.
1. Into the Rift

So here's my newest story. Even though I put the idea for this story on my profile page, I've pretty much accepted that no one ever reads my profile, so I decided to give this story a shot.

I must warn you first, however. This story is villain centric, with rarely any interactions with purely good characters. It is also very _dark. _There will be lots of death and despair involved, so it is not one of my typical stories.

This is also unlike my other stories in another fashion. Although you *can* read it without prior knowledge of the series in question, a more fulfilled read can be attained by those who have played Dissidia Final Fantasy.

So read on, and hopefully you'll enjoy reading it as much as I have writing it.

* * *

A massive expanse of translucent violet tiling could be seen as far as the eye could see in any direction one cared to view. No structure of any recognizable pattern could be seen in this world of darkness. The only things that broke the emptiness of this wasted realm were the pillars of exquisite architecture that dotted the landscape in a seemingly random fashion.

The amount of ambient power in the air was significantly higher than the other realms that made up this conglomerate world. In fact, streams of visual arcane energy could be seen slowly swirling through the air in a lazy manner.

The area was devoid of all indigenous life, as there was no form of flora anywhere to be found. The entire landscape was seemingly manmade, yet how it was done was a mystery to all.

The air began to shimmer in a small area on the floor, marking the first sign of movement apart from the energy still floating overhead. Chunks of a crystalline substance materialized out of the air, fusing to one another. Eventually, a construct was formed out of these crystals. The shape of this construct was identical to a man whose features indicated a hard life lived alone, complete with a scar near his left eye. The crystal man slowly held out its hand, where another smaller construct formed. This one started off thin and long, with more features being added every second.

One edge of the newly formed construct flattened and sharpened until it was akin to that of a blade, while the other broadened and formed a blunt edge. The end closest to the crystalline man's hand contorted and twisted until it formed a handle similar to a revolver, complete with a loaded gun chamber. The barrel of the gun fused to the forming crystal blade, until the man was holding a unique weapon known as a gunblade.

With its new weapon, the construct wandered aimlessly through the empty expanse of tiling, searching for a purpose to its sudden existence.

The life of the construct was numbered in seconds. A uniquely designed sword colored golden and encrusted with gems and tassels near the end zoomed out of an opening hole in the air and came to a halt in front of the crystal man. The sword hovered there for a split second, and then it viciously slashed through the very center of the construct, shattering it into shards of crystal from which it was made.

The black portal from which the sword had emerged grew wider, rotating in midair. The golden sword slowly floated back to the portal, from which a large figure was emerging.

The newcomer was impossibly tall; he was most likely taller than the tallest human. He was completely covered in bulky armor that was colored a mixture of cyan and gold, with traces of royal violet. The suit of armor was unique in that the helmet grew out of the breastplate, effectively eliminating that standard weak spot. There was nothing but a dark slit in the helmet where light was allowed to pass through, so that the man could see what was in front of him.

Like his sword, the man's armor was encrusted with gold and violet orbs and gems, giving the man an otherworldly appearance. Two golden spikes jutted upwards from the shoulder plates of his armor, with many smaller spikes forming secondary weapons along his arms.

"Manikins…" the newcomer spoke in a deep, grating voice. He walked out of the portal, each step creating a metallic sound from the impact of armor and tile. The gems and tassels rattled and clinked as he walked, showing that this warrior was confident enough to announce his presence. "They are a waste of space."

"Kome now, Exdeath," another, female voice with a distinct accent sounded. The form of a shapely woman faded into existence not far away from the armored man. Her hair was long and silver, complete with two horns spreading out from her head. She was dressed in a revealing crimson dress that possessed two decorative wing-like attachments extending down from her shoulders. "Surely you don't deny their usefulness as tools?

"Ultimecia, the first to arrive as always," Exdeath greeted the new arrival, his voice betraying a degree of grudging respect for the woman. Ultimecia acknowledged his greeting with a nod. She walked elegantly to his side, gazing out upon the endless tiling, where more crystalline "manikins" wandered endlessly in search of a purpose.

"Tell me, what do you think of this 'plan' of the Emperor's?" Ultimecia questioned, her earlier query concerning the manikins going forgotten in light of the new issue.

"Hmm…" Exdeath mused, turning his head to follow a swirling ribbon of arcane power. His helmet made it impossible to read his emotions, but it seemed that he was thinking about the witch's question.

"His last plan failed to take into akkount the strength of the Kosmos warriors. Although ingenious, it failed to end the cycle," Ultimecia continued, walking forward. Exdeath followed her movements warily with his visor. "Do you believe that this one will do what the last kould not?"

"Indeed, the warriors of Cosmos were stronger than usual that time around, but in the end, both parties failed," Exdeath agreed. "No matter how much strength one claims to have, one cannot kill a god. At least not permanently."

Exdeath strode away from the pulsating black portal, which closed behind him as soon as he was no longer in its proximity. Once he reached Ultimecia again, he gazed directly at her, a gaze that she eagerly returned.

"I believe that the Emperor was wrong to hinge his plan upon the death of a god. I do believe, however, that his new approach of escaping the cycle entirely is worth trying." The armored warrior finally spoke his opinion. Ultimecia crossed her arms and nodded in understanding.

Both of them were soon alerted to another presence entering the barren landscape. Exdeath and Ultimecia turned their heads to see two more figures stride out into view.

The first figure looked similar to Exdeath in the manner of how his armor covered his entire body, even including the helmet growing out of the chest plate and seeing out of a small slit in the visor. Unlike Exdeath, the newcomer's armor was colored pitch-black. The helmet possessed two horns jutting into the air on either side of it for decoration, and a long flowing cape colored black and red descended to the ground behind him.

The second figure was hunched over, dragging a large, triangular sword on the ground behind him. A faint screeching sound could be heard as the tip grated on the tiled floor. He was also wearing armor, though this time it was colored a dark grey. A navy blue cloak cascaded over his shoulders. His helmet, unlike Exdeath's was a separate piece, which fully covered his face. A small V-shaped visor revealed two yellow points of light, which were assumed to be his eyes.

"My, if it isn't Garland and Golbez. I didn't think either of you would bother koming," Ultimecia observed, loud enough for the two newcomers to hear. The one with the large sword just scoffed and kept walking their direction, while the other seemed to be curious.

"And why is that?" the man in black armor questioned, a hint of suspicion evident in his deep voice. Exdeath chose this moment to speak up.

"Golbez. I agree with Ultimecia: I didn't expect you to be here due to your…dabbling with the other side," Exdeath interjected. The accusatory tone in his voice earned a smirk from the witch, and a silence from Golbez.

"Now now, Exdeath, don't antagonize the poor man. I'm sure we'll need his kooperation in this skeme of the Emperor's," Ultimecia scolded the warrior lightly, who grunted and turned his visor away from Golbez.

The way Golbez's body was standing clearly indicated newfound hostility towards Exdeath, if one was looking for it. However, Garland stepped between the three of them and began to speak.

"We do not have the luxury of fighting amongst ourselves any longer," the knight growled. "The Emperor's plan requires complete cooperation from every one of us warriors of Chaos."

"Really? Even Sephiroth?" Ultimecia questioned, becoming intrigued at the notion. There was a silence from Garland. "If I recall correctly, he refused to go along with the Emperor's last plan."

"That is because all Sephiroth cared about was returning to his own world. That is why he guided his nemesis to victory at his own expense." Garland corrected her. Ultimecia's expression didn't change as she waited for the knight to continue.

"I wasn't aware that this plan would arrange such a thing," Golbez stated. The mage glided softly towards the group to join in the conversation. It seems that Garland's words had interested the stoic man.

"It is true. Should we be successful, all of us will be able to return to our own worlds…in a way." The knight continued.

"Then I am anxious to hear what he has to say," Ultimecia affirmed. There was a silence as the warriors of Chaos arranged themselves inside the clearing.

The tranquility was shattered as the faint sound of cursing could be heard in the distance. Ultimecia, being the curious woman, decided to take a look at the new arrival, while Exdeath did not bat an eye. He recognized the voice easily, and thus did not feel the need to look.

"Interesting. I thought he would be too busy with his own affairs to lend us his assistance," Garland marveled. Exdeath grunted and turned his head to see Ultimecia speaking with the new arrival.

"All I gotta say is this better be important! I was in the middle of something. Damn punk ass Emperor and his cronies giving me crap," complained the newcomer. Exdeath saw a man, probably the most normal looking out of all of them, walking with the witch towards their gathering.

The man wore nothing but a pair of black shorts that possessed an orange sash over his right leg and a red bandanna around his head. For armor, he wore a metal gauntlet over his left arm. Other than that, he was completely shirtless.

He looked clearly disgruntled, his long dark hair hanging irregularly over his bandanna and over his face, as if he had been engaged in some strenuous activity that had messed up his usual style.

"Surely you also wish to escape the cycle, Jecht? What better way of doing that than cooperating with us?" Ultimecia asked of the man. Jecht brushed his hair out of his eyes before replying.

"Not really. This whole conflict shit don't bother me. I just like to fight," Jecht grunted in annoyance. "And I really don't like that Emperor prick."

Ultimecia and Jecht entered the clearing. Jecht adapted an expression that betrayed his surprise. He glanced around to see the group of warriors all gazing at him with expectant expressions.

"Right. What're all you guys doing here? Won't those Cosmos guys get suspicious if we all run around in the same place?" Jecht queried. He stalked away from Ultimecia and propped himself up against a pillar. He let out a sigh and stretched out his right arm before returning his gaze to the other warriors. Exdeath looked like he was going to respond, but he was interrupted by the sound of something whizzing through the air extremely fast.

The warriors tensed and weapons were readied as the newcomer drew closer.

"Wait. The manikins are not taking notice. The newcomer is a warrior of Chaos." Garland warned. His words served to relax the other warriors. Exdeath grunted and lowered his sword back to his side.

Jecht peered around his pillar, but it was only a moment before he scoffed and turned back to the front.

"It's Kuja. I can see that black thong from here," he informed everyone with a wry grin on his face. His joke went unheeded, earning disdainful looks from the others. Jecht grunted in annoyance. "Humorless bastards."

"He was tasked with informing Sephiroth and Kefka of the meeting place, was he not?" Ultimecia recalled. As Kuja came into view, the warriors moved to accommodate him.

Kuja, at first, could be seen as one of the more flamboyant members of the warriors of Chaos. Kuja could be seen smiling triumphantly. His untidy silver hair flowed backwards in the air behind him, contrasting nicely with his white and black robes made with a fine silk flowing around him as he flew.

"Great, that blasted clown is coming too?" Jecht demanded, though his question was clearly rhetorical. He made as if to leave, but the second he turned, he came face to face with another new arrival. Tentacles with toothed mouths and eyes hissed and snapped at him, causing him to recoil, even as he jumped slightly in surprise. "Damn, woman, give a guy some warning!"

The woman in question spared him little more than a disdainful look before she glided past him to meet with Garland, who walked forward to meet her.

"Cloud of Darkness. It is good to see that you chose to join us as well," Garland greeted her politely. The woman grunted.

"We were very busy making sure the warriors of Cosmos did not draw any closer," the Cloud replied. Garland nodded in satisfaction.

"That's nearly all of us. With the addition of Kuja," the knight continued, just as the mage in question floated down gently to the ground to join them. "That leaves Sephiroth and Kefka, along with the Emperor himself. You did inform them of this place, Kuja?"

"Do not worry, the actors shall not be late for the show," Kuja assured the knight with a smile. There was a sense of relief that swept through the clearing.

"Convincing Sephiroth to come must have taken some doing. I am impressed," Ultimecia complimented the mage, who acknowledged the compliment by flipping his hair back and smiling again.

"Yeah, we all know that Kefka would have been easy to convince," Jecht muttered to himself. "Speaking of which, no one answered me about the Cosmos warriors. Isn't this meeting a bit conspicuous?"

"Fear not," Kuja announced, and he twirled through the air until he was floating on his side just in front of Jecht, who grimaced at his proximity. "There is an army of manikins between us and them."

"At the very least, we will have some warning," Exdeath elaborated. Jecht grunted in response to the explanation. He seemed to be disappointed.

Ultimecia, who could be considered the more social of the warriors of Chaos, stepped delicately back over to Exdeath. The armored warrior shifted slightly to allow her room, and then turned his helmet slightly so that he could get a view of her.

"It seems to me that you may have the most important role in the plan, considering how the Emperor invited you personally," the witch mused aloud to him, though her words were loud enough to attract the attention of the others. Exdeath didn't respond at first as every eye in the clearing turned to him.

"Indeed? Perhaps you could shed some light on the subject, Exdeath," sounded an unfamiliar voice from the outer edge of the clearing. The warriors turned to see another new arrival walking purposefully into the area.

The most distinct thing about the newcomer was his sword. It was significantly longer than any sword possessed by any of the warriors summoned to this world. Relatively speaking, it was twice as long as the sword that Exdeath possessed.

The next thing that would be noticed would be the man's hair. It was silver, similar to Kuja's only it was straightened and tidy. It was longer than Kuja's, stretching down to the man's waist. It contrasted nicely with the man's silver shoulder plates, which rested upon a long black coat.

"Sephiroth," Exdeath greeted the man, his voice unreadable. The man nodded slightly in return. Sephiroth strode towards the rest of the warriors and stood near Golbez and Garland, who moved aside to give him some room.

"I see Kuja convinced you to join us," Garland observed, turning his helmet to face Sephiroth.

"I do not recall being convinced of anything just yet," Sephiroth corrected the knight sharply. Garland glanced at Kuja warily, but the mage remained unaware of the knight's scrutiny.

"Then tell us why you have come," Golbez rejoined. Sephiroth turned his gaze towards Golbez, his expression unchanging.

"Curiosity, perhaps," the soldier replied simply. Golbez did not seem to be satisfied by the terse reply, but he said nothing more.

"That leaves Kefka and the Emperor himself," Ultimecia summarized. Exdeath grunted impatiently, his grip tightening on his golden sword. Over near Kuja, Jecht also grew impatient. The man stuck his sword in the ground and began shadowboxing. Kuja watched with boredom on his face for a minute, and then he floated over to Ultimecia.

While they conversed, Jecht dimly began to hear the sound of faint explosions in the distance, followed by peals of maniacal laughter. The man shut his eyes and let out a grudging sigh. He grabbed his sword and relocated over towards Ultimecia and Kuja.

"Please," Jecht started, an irritated expression taking over his face. Ultimecia and Kuja turned towards him, growing curious at his sudden plea. "One of you distract me so I have an excuse not to talk to _that." _

Rather than fulfilling his wish, Ultimecia and Kuja walked around him and started looking for the source of the explosions that were increasing in volume ever so slowly. Jecht groaned and moved towards Exdeath.

"It appears that Kefka is drawing near," Ultimecia called to the other warriors. Kuja scoffed and returned to the clearing, leaving Ultimecia alone to greet the crazed clown.

"Manikins, manikins, EVERYWHERE!" Kefka screeched, bounding into view in the distance. The clown, dressed in overly colorful robes consisting of every color known to mankind was playfully skipping through a crowd of manikins. Every so often, he would snap his fingers, or gesture flamboyantly, after which a burst of powerful magic would erupt forth and destroy whatever it was the mad clown chose to target. "Have a FLARE! Another Holy, coming right up!"

"That utter fool," Exdeath growled to himself. Jecht propped himself up against the same pillar Exdeath was standing in front of. The man predictably found himself agreeing with Exdeath's sentiments.

"One could admire his enthusiasm," was the only positive thing Kuja could possibly say about one of his least favorite comrades. Jecht snorted in amusement at the deadpan joke.

Kefka entered the clearing by performing a backstroke in midair, earning him several scoffs and askance glances. When the clown reached the center, he suddenly corrected himself and struck a pose.

"Ta-da! Sorry I took so long, I was busy TORMENTING one of Cosmos's dear warriors. I'm SURE you all know just how entertaining that is!" Kefka announced. While his poses and random acts of destruction went ignored, his mention of one of Cosmos's warriors gained the attention of the other warriors.

"You defeated one of the warriors of Cosmos?" Garland questioned sharply, being the first to address the clown. Kefka promptly did a strange little twirl on the spot so that he was facing the knight.

"Not in every sense of the word, you see. Ooh, I just love messing with their precious little minds you see. Every little time they lose, they forget me! It's just so tragic…and yet SO GREAT!" Kefka attempted to explain.

"So in other words, he got his ass beat, so he said something clever at the end," Jecht muttered to Exdeath. That one earned a grunt of amusement from the warrior.

"Perhaps this meeting can come to order, now that you've destroyed several of the manikins I worked so hard to gather," Kuja snarled at Kefka. The clown, polite as always, blew a raspberry at the mage and waggled a finger at him. Kuja scoffed and turned away.

"He has a point, however. The Emperor is not yet here," Golbez pointed out. The Cloud of Darkness floated near Golbez, her feet never once touching the floor.

"Indeed. We are concerned that he may not appear," the Cloud confessed to the other warriors.

"We cannot stay here forever waiting for him. No doubt by now Kefka's rampage has alerted the Cosmos warriors to our presence," Exdeath asserted. His claim earned nods of agreement from the other warriors.

"That does it. I'm leaving," Jecht declared suddenly. He pushed away from the pillar and walked away from the clearing. The other warriors watched him go, perhaps contemplating whether or not they should do the same.

As Jecht walked, the air around him began to feel strange. It was almost as if the air was thinner than usual. When he became aware of this phenomenon, Jecht turned around to see if the other warriors were experiencing the same thing. However, he couldn't see anything amiss over where he came from, so he decided to right himself and keep walking. He stopped in his tracks when he saw what was in front of him.

An imposing man stood there before him, dressed in a violet and black royal robes that swayed gently, suggesting movement only a second previously. The man wore a golden circlet on his brow, contrasting with the pale white of his hair. His hair was long, but tidy. It was slicked back behind his ears, giving the man a regal look to him. His dark eyes bored into Jecht's, who instinctively took a step back.

"Leaving so soon, Jecht?" the man inquired softly in a silky smooth voice. Jecht shivered despite himself, and then he let out a curse.

"Son of a bitch! That's twice now you people have given me a heart attack!" the man exclaimed. His yells gained the attention of the other warriors, who instantly became silent the moment their eyes fell upon the robed man. The man stalked past Jecht regally, heading for the gathered warriors. Jecht let out another barely concealed curse and turned back around.

"This party has not yet started. Surely you don't wish to miss out?" the man said again to Jecht without turning his head. Jecht just grunted and followed him in annoyance.

Garland was the first to greet the regal man. The knight moved towards him, dragging his sword behind him as usual.

"Emperor Mateus. We were waiting for quite some time," Garland started politely, but there was a distinct hint of dissatisfaction in his voice that the regal man clearly picked up on.

Mateus walked past Garland, acknowledging the knight's greeting with a wave of his hand, the golden bracelets and rings present there rattling as he did so. As he walked, the Emperor slowly levitated up off of the floor so that he stood tall above the rest of the warriors. This was most likely so he could address the other warriors all at once.

"I apologize for the wait, ladies and gentlemen," Mateus began politely. There were nods from the rest of the warriors as they accepted his most likely insincere, but nonetheless polite apology. "I assume you all wish to know why I've called you out here?"

"I would indeed. All you told me was that your plan involved escaping, rather than ending," Ultimecia was the first to speak. The Emperor was incredibly polite, despite his title. When she spoke, he gave her his full attention, and waited to speak until he was sure she was done. "Yet I find myself curious."

"How does this plan involve the Rift?" Exdeath rumbled. Mateus's gaze moved to the warrior's instantly, nodding in recognition.

"Ah, Exdeath. I appreciate your presence here. This plan cannot succeed with out you," the Emperor addressed him, his lips curving into a small smile.

"So get on with it already! What the hell am I doing here!?" Jecht called up to Mateus. The Emperor's gaze turned into a frosty glare as he addressed Jecht's rude words.

"All in good time, Jecht. Please curb your tongue lest you disturb me further," Mateus admonished lightly, though his tone was as hard as iron. Jecht cringed slightly, and for good reason. The Emperor was possibly one of the strongest out of everyone gathered here, save for perhaps Garland.

"Allow me to speak plainly. I, through chance, have discovered a way to escape the confines of this empty world." Mateus began. There was an air of concealed shock among the warriors at his words. They had been fighting in this endless cycle for many years, perhaps more than they could even remember.

"I'm sure many of you have witnessed a strange figure dressed in crimson appearing in this world at random, correct?" The Emperor continued.

"That's true. I had to fend off this individual when he appeared in the very Seat of Madness, where I stood conversing with our lord, Chaos," Garland revealed, drawing attention to himself. "He had a certain fixation with my weapon."

"I may have experienced such a thing," Sephiroth admitted, speaking up for the first time since he arrived.

"Gilgamesh," Exdeath identified suddenly. The Emperor noted his words, turning his head to view the warrior with a curious look on his face.

"You are acquainted with this individual?" Mateus queried. Exdeath nodded slowly.

"He was one of my generals, before I was summoned here by Chaos. I sealed him in the Rift when he betrayed me," Exdeath related. The Emperor smiled at his explanation, as if the warrior's words had confirmed his suspicions. Exdeath suddenly realized what the Emperor was getting at. "You mean to use the Rift as a means to escape?!"

Shock rippled through the ranks. Sephiroth appeared particularly interested by this, as did Garland and Jecht.

"That is precisely what I plan. If this 'Gilgamesh' you speak of possesses the ability to transport himself to different locations at will, why shouldn't we be able to imitate it?" Mateus responded. Exdeath stabbed his sword into the ground in a rare expression of anger.

"The Rift is not someplace you can just enter and exit! To enter it without a clear destination is suicide, clear and simple!" Exdeath protested vehemently. Mateus's smile did not vanish. Instead, he produced a large tome from his robes. Exdeath let out a short breath as he saw it.

"I see you recognize this, Exdeath. This is where I determined that such a course was possible, if dangerous." The Emperor explained. The other warriors glanced at the book without understanding, but Exdeath was surprised enough to walk towards the Emperor, who lowered himself enough to hand the book to the approaching warrior.

"_On the Nature of the Void." _Exdeath recited the title of the book for everyone to hear. "An ancient tome written by a brilliant researcher who was the first to successfully travel into the Interdimensional Rift. How did you come to find this?"

"Surely you remember the copy of the Dimension Castle that is present in this world? While it is not the true Rift, the most likely explanation suggests that some elements from the true castle were copied as well," Mateus explained abstractly. Exdeath nodded slowly, and then he returned his attention to the tome.

"So we're gonna escape this place through some portal or another?" Jecht interjected, completely not understanding anything that the Emperor and Exdeath were talking about.

"You are correct. The book states that once a portal to the Rift is opened, the walker transports himself to his destination by orienting on a source of great power. It makes sense that Gilgamesh would be able to deposit himself in the Seat of Madness, due to Chaos's immense power," Mateus affirmed.

"Then what do you wish me to do? I can indeed feel many thousands of power sources while traveling through the Rift, but it is dangerous to pursue those unfamiliar to you," Exdeath questioned. The Emperor appeared to think for a moment.

"If we provided you with our power as a point to anchor yourself, could you find a place outside of this world for us to inhabit?" Mateus demanded. The nature of the Emperor's plan then became clear to the other warriors in the clearing. Jecht threw his sword to the ground.

"Well I'll be damned," he remarked. Exdeath shut the tome and clutched it against his side. The warrior remained silent for a good minute as he thought about the Emperor's request.

"This is your plan? How does this return me to my own world?" Sephiroth snapped, joining the conversation.

"There's no guarantee that this plan will even work. This whole thing is a waste of time," Kuja sneered, agreeing with Sephiroth.

"It sounds intriguing. Perhaps it would be better than the mindless killing we've been repeatedly doing," Ultimecia commented.

"I agree with Kuja. We should accept our fate, rather than endlessly rebel against it," Golbez inserted. The Emperor ignored everyone's opinions, instead remaining silent while waiting for Exdeath's reply.

"If you exert enough power to give me a reference point, I will explore the Rift for you," Exdeath finally decided. The warriors ceased citing their opinions and stared at Exdeath in anticipation.

"Excellent. While you are exploring, I shall explain the second, more important phase of my plan to the others in preparation for our eventual escape," the Emperor continued.

"Shouldn't I be present to hear this plan as well?" Exdeath asked suspiciously. Mateus laughed at his suspicion and floated down beside the armored warrior.

"Worry not. I shall inform you of your future role upon your return," The Emperor assured him. The armored warrior was silent once more.

"Right. Like I've been saying since the beginning, won't Cosmos's warriors notice if we start blasting our power out like a lighthouse?" Jecht reiterated.

"I told you, there are…" Kuja started, but Jecht didn't let him get any farther.

"I KNOW there are a bunch a manikins running around, but who's to say a few of them won't break off and engage us directly?" the man pressed. Despite his reasonable suspicions, Exdeath was already beginning to open a portal to the Interdimensional Rift.

"Oh, I just hope they do…I'd love to give them a good SMASHING!" Kefka butted in, clapping his hands rather excitedly. Jecht gave him an extremely exasperated look.

The air around Exdeath began to twist and roil. It was like the sky was a sheet of transparent plastic, and some cosmic being was pressing down in the center. Eventually, a divot formed in midair in front of Exdeath. It grew deeper and deeper, and finally ruptured and formed a tiny, black hole in the fabric of reality.

The warriors watched in awe as the hole appeared to rotate, pulling more of reality with it as it did so. The hole continued to grow in size until it was large enough to encompass Exdeath's form.

Jecht inched closer to the portal, until he was standing just behind Exdeath. The man peered around the armored warrior until he was staring directly into the Rift itself. Jecht couldn't help but marvel at the sight he saw. A roiling tunnel of a strange black substance extended out as far as he could see. Occasionally, the twisting darkness would reveal glimpses of alternate realities. Jecht could have sworn he saw a hole open to a vast desert for a fraction of a second, before it too was devoured once more by the shadows. He shook his head in wonder.

"Stay back, Jecht. The Rift is not merely a place one can stroll through," Exdeath warned, pushing Jecht back with his clawed hand. Jecht scoffed in disbelief, but did as he was told.

"Kefka, would you do the honors?" Mateus asked of the clown, who promptly danced over the Emperor.

"Of course! You don't mind if the area is a little…_damaged…_do you?" Kefka responded, a devilish grin crossing his heavily tattooed face.

"Show some discretion," Mateus replied with a hint of humor in his voice. Kefka reacted to the Emperor's response by laughing like a child who had just been given some candy.

"Oh goody! Stand back everyone! Wouldn't want to…accidentally…destroy you too, now would I?" the clown declared. The other warriors of Chaos wisely moved away from the crazed harlequin, knowing that this area of the landscape would most likely be irreparably damaged after Kefka's eminent display of power.

Kefka continued to belt out his maniacal laughter. As everyone watched, an aura of powerful magic burst forth from the clown, spiraling into the air to form a pillar of multicolored flames.

"Sure, ask the clown to exert his power, that's such a great idea!" Jecht muttered to himself as he took refuge behind a group of clustered pillars. As the man watched, the tiling cracked and shattered in the area around Kefka. The cracks quickly spider webbed outwards. The pillars closest to the clown shattered immediately, sending fragments flying outwards.

"That will be sufficient to ensure my return," Exdeath affirmed, seemingly unaffected by the raw power coming from Kefka. Mateus nodded in satisfaction.

"I bid thee farewell, and good luck in your search," the Emperor finished. Exdeath grunted in response, and then the armored warrior stepped inside the portal, which soon closed behind him.

The Emperor approached the warriors who were taking refuge from Kefka's exertion with a satisfied look on his face.

"Now, I have other matters to discuss with you all," he began.

The moment the portal closed, complete silence fell over Exdeath. He walked through the tunnel of roiling shadows seemingly unfazed.

Exdeath could feel millions of latent power sources scattered throughout the Rift. It was impossible for him to tell which one of them would lead him to an alternate plane, or a world outside of the cycle.

He did, however, sense the bright power being exerted by Kefka, fairly close by. It was intense, far stronger than any of the nearby sources, so the warrior was not worried about finding his way back.

He suddenly began to feel many other power sources that were familiar to him congregating on Kefka's position. He recognized them as the warriors of Cosmos. It seemed that they had finally begun to notice the gathering. Exdeath was not concerned. Although the warriors of Cosmos were able to defeat each and every one of them during the previous cycle, he was confident that they would not be able to defeat them when they were working together.

The shadows that rotated around him suddenly transmogrified into a roaring crimson inferno. Unconcerned, Exdeath walked through the burning wall of flames in his way and found himself in a barren, volcanic wasteland. Massive super volcanoes the size of continents spewed out fire and ash, devastating the landscape around them. The ground was scorched black by the constant flames that ravaged the countryside. It was a land that never existed; a future that had never come to pass.

Almost as soon as it had appeared, Exdeath saw everything around him melt and dissolve, as if the volcanoes had been part of a cosmic painting that had suddenly been immersed in water. The colors split and blurred, reforming themselves into shadow once more.

Time as man knew it did not exist inside the Interdimensional Rift, so the amount of time that passed before the shadows split once more was indeterminate. Exdeath had barely been walking for a few minutes in normal time, but for all he knew, he could have been walking for centuries forward or even backwards in time.

Though any normal person who entered the Rift would end up lost in time forever, Exdeath was not normal. He retained his spatial perception as he walked, and was able to enter and exit at will. He could still feel Kefka's power.

The shadows split and peeled away to reveal an ancient city street. Everywhere Exdeath looked, the buildings he could see were broken down and neglected, as if they had been abandoned for a very long time. As Exdeath watched, the buildings shimmered, and he could faintly see the outlines much larger buildings. The architecture of the faint buildings were the same as the ones they overlapped, only they were much more complete. Shadowy forms of people coalesced into existence, walking around the city aimlessly.

Exdeath realized he was walking through the city's past, present, and future all at the same time. Out of curiosity, he focused on the city's present time, and soon found himself in a bustling city square.

His appearance in the square attracted the attention of the passerby, though their reaction was little more than curious glances. Exdeath wondered why they weren't frightened. He soon realized that his appearance was similar to that of a knight, and he could see other knights dressed in different armor striding throughout the streets around him. It appeared this city never made it out of the iron age.

Satisfied, Exdeath allowed himself to fade out of the city, returning to the mix of times in the broken down city. Although the city looked normal, Exdeath knew that it was still in the Rift, locked in time forever.

The warrior soon found the city melting away into shadow once more like it had never been. Returning to the task he had been assigned, Exdeath searched for a source of power other than Kefka's that stood out.

Exdeath released a grunt of shock when he came across a source of power greater than even his own. It was not in the direction of Kefka's power, so it must be in another dimension of its own. It was not Chaos's, or Cosmos's, as it was much less incredible, but it was still formidable. Perhaps even more the Mateus's vaunted strength.

He decided that it was worth investigating, so Exdeath reoriented on that power and began moving through the Rift towards it. The shadows that formed his pathway moved faster as Exdeath himself sped up his pace.

The shadows split away faster than usual, and Exdeath found himself hanging in midair above one of the more stable regions in the Rift. These regions were those that were sucked into the Rift through the actions of man. They did not change and twist in time as the other places he had seen so far, but they could be walked on as if they truly existed.

Exdeath grunted and swiftly concentrated a tiny portion of his power under each of his boots, holding himself in midair. He slowly began to descend to the ground. He cast his gaze around and found himself in some sort of forest. Why man had chosen to seal this place up was beyond him, but it should make for easy travel.

Exdeath touched down on the grassy undergrowth in a clearing he discovered. Looking around, he could see no exit to the forest in sight, but he did not need eyesight to find his way forward. He could still feel that strong power source, and it was there that he chose to move.

The warrior stepped into the trees, choosing the easiest paths in the foliage. As he moved, Exdeath became aware of something strange happening in this forest. As he walked, appealing passageways in the forest would present themselves to him, while others would suddenly become overgrown with vines and therefore become impassable.

Out of curiosity, Exdeath halted his momentum and turned his head. More vines were growing at an extreme pace, intertwining with roots and thorns to block him from returning the way he came. He came to the conclusion that this forest was predatory, herding its victims to the heart of the forest through pleasant passageways, and then devouring them there. This was the most likely scenario in Exdeath's mind. He laughed at the futility of anything trying to devour him.

The warrior moved again towards the power source, only to discover that the forest was not keen on him moving in that direction. The gap that he had chosen to traverse closed up with vines and roots even as he moved towards it, while another path opened up nearby. Exdeath halted in place, his right hand rising.

"Your attempts to hold me are futile, forest," Exdeath spoke, his voice breaking the oppressing silence that hung over the forest. A bright light formed in Exdeath's right hand, coalescing into the shape of a small orb. The orb grew larger and brighter, until it covered his entire hand. With a grunt, the warrior thrust his hand forward and threw the orb at the path that was blocked to him.

To Exdeath, his exertion at creating this orb was minor. However, any other being would find the sheer power he had just released insurmountable. Thus, when the orb collided with the vines blocking his way, a massive explosion ensued, instantly vaporizing not only the vines, but every single tree in a medium radius around his target.

A loud, inhuman screech echoed through the forest, pain and loss evident in the sound. Exdeath laughed in derision at the sound. The forest should not have been foolish enough to block him.

The scream soon turned furious, and Exdeath could hear rustling in the undergrowth. He could hear growls and hisses emanating from the foliage around him, indicating the presence of predatory creatures nearby. Completely unconcerned about the imminent danger, the warrior strode through the newly created path.

"Monsters…your way of avenging your pain? Ridiculous," Exdeath remarked as the growls turned into roars. A massive wolf-like creature burst out of the foliage and lunged at the warrior, its mouth open and claws outstretched, the intent to kill clear in its mad yellow eyes.

Without even attempting to dodge, Exdeath continued to walk. However, his golden sword left his hand and levitated in midair. As the wolf drew closer, the sword zipped forward and sliced the monster in half. The blood from the kill splattered forth, coating the left side of Exdeath's legs. Although annoyed, Exdeath knew he could just clean it later.

The death of one monster drew out the rest. Several monsters of many different species emerged from the foliage and threw themselves and the warrior. Exdeath continued to walk steadfastly forward, not slowing his momentum for anything.

Another wolf-like monster assaulted him, only to be blocked by the floating sword and sliced into pieces before it could get any further. Large bats and several variations of insects all attacked him at once, intent on gaining revenge for the wounds inflicted by Exdeath.

Exdeath laughed derisively at their efforts. He now understood why mankind had sealed away this forest into the Rift. Presumably, this forest had preyed upon their species for quite some time, leading to its current fate. Since time was skewed in the Rift, there was no way to tell how long ago this place was sealed.

The warrior continued to walk, but his sword began to spin around his body, deterring the smarter creatures from attacking and slicing up those too close to retreat.

The speed of his sword increased rapidly as he willed it. Powerful winds began to form as a result, shredding anything that came to close. The winds eventually became visible as a rotating tornado that surrounded Exdeath's body. The warrior continued to laugh as he watched his magic suck in the attacking monsters and annihilate them.

Exdeath now had some peace, so he allowed his tornado to fade away, the golden sword slowing to a crawl and floating back to the warrior's hand.

The trees ahead of him grew thin, allowing some light from outside the forest to slip inside. Exdeath was able to catch brief glimpses of a strange structure that lay just outside the forest.

The warrior cut his way out of the forest's last defense, until he was finally standing under the sky once more. It wouldn't be accurate to say there was a sun. Light simply filled the air with no tangible source; it was just another facet of the Rift one had to accept.

Now Exdeath could get a clear view of the structure in front of him. Its layout was similar to a shrine, though what it was dedicated to was beyond him. The only other clues to its purpose were the strange angelic statues that were set up in two parallel lines stretching forward from where Exdeath stood.

The warrior stepped forward carefully over the carved stone tiles. The sound of his heavy armor colliding with the stone echoed off of the walls nearby, which were crumbled and neglected.

Still following the power source, Exdeath walked through an arched doorway and into a small room. Inside, there were an arrangement of crumbling pews facing a shattered altar, which had a small bowl made of tarnished silver sitting atop it. The remnants of once glorious tapestries hung on the walls in tatters. All in all, these constructions suggested to Exdeath that this was once a place of worship.

Exdeath noticed another door situated behind the altar. The power source was still further, so he strode down the aisle between the pews. The first things he noticed were the multitudes of human skeletons lying in various positions on the pews. The warrior halted, curious enough to take a look at one of them.

The skeleton he chose to inspect was charred nearly beyond recognition. Judging by the burnt and broken state of the pew it was lying against, Exdeath could tell that this individual was killed while in worship. The fact that it was killed through fire was odd, since the warrior could see nothing in this room that would burn other than the tapestries, and they showed no signs of fire damage.

Exdeath considered magic as the cause of death, but he couldn't recall any fire magic that would cause this much damage to the skeletal structure beyond the usual charring. In fact, each bone he cared to look at was fractured and mutilated, which was uncommon for fire magic. His only conclusion remaining was some type of new magic, similar to his power over the Void.

All it took was one cursory glance over the rest of the bodies to determine they shared the same cause of death. Satisfied, Exdeath continued down the aisle. He climbed up the stairs to the altar, but didn't linger long before moving out the door.

He was now in an interior hallway that extended out into blackness, the torches on the wall long since gone out. Exdeath sighed and formed another orb similar to the one he had used earlier to escape the forest. The light from his power lit up the path in front of him.

All of a sudden, Exdeath felt Kefka's power dim, almost to the point where he couldn't feel it anymore. The warrior grew alarmed, and turned back the other way. If need be, he would rush back to the other warriors if his way back was threatened.

Exdeath focused, and was able to sense a few very dim pinpricks of power near Kefka's declining one. They were the warriors of Cosmos that he had sensed earlier. It appeared that their presence had distracted Kefka from doing what he was tasked to do.

Soon, the warrior felt Emperor Mateus's power begin to fluctuate; this was a symptom Exdeath usually associated with those currently fighting. The incursion of Cosmos warriors was enough to force even the Emperor into fighting.

Thankfully, it wasn't very long before Exdeath sensed a new source of power. This time, however, it didn't belong to Kefka. The clown's power was now fluctuating, while Sephiroth's now was the most prominent. Exdeath relaxed. Now that Sephiroth was serving as his return beacon, he could continue.

Exdeath continued his walk down the dark passageway. He noticed several other rooms branching away from the main passage, but they did not interest him. As long as the power source he was seeking remained in front of him, then that was the direction he would travel in.

Eventually the passageway terminated at another arched doorway, a rusted iron door engraved with an eagle motif barring the way forward. Curious, the warrior wondered if this was where the power source was located. If that was true, he could open the portal to the world in which it resided.

Exdeath moved forward and attempted to open the door. To his surprise, the moment his hand moved near the door, he felt something change in the air around him.

Instinctively, Exdeath crossed his arms in front of him and summoned up his own magical power to create a spherical barrier that was nearly unbreakable. His instincts were proven right when the door released a powerful blast of magical energy directly at him.

Exdeath grunted when the energy broke upon his shield like water. It only lasted for a few seconds, but there was enough force behind the blast to push the warrior back by a foot. His armored boots were forced into the stone floor as he did so, gouging out a path as he attempted to remain in one spot.

When the magic had dissipated, Exdeath let his barrier disappear. Intrigued, he walked up to the door and realized that it must have been enchanted by a powerful mage to have released such a powerful blast.

"A cunning trap," Exdeath mused aloud. He again moved his hand near the door, assuming that the trap was now spent. As he suspected, the door did not emit any more magic, offering him no resistance when he pushed it open.

Inside was what appeared to be a small bedchamber, complete with a writing desk, wardrobe, a small chest near the desk, and a small chandelier possessing burnt out candles. The only really noticeable anomaly was the lack of a bed.

Instead of the four-poster bed Exdeath would expect to be in such a room, there was instead an ornate sarcophagus lying in its place. Such a thing was out of the ordinary, so Exdeath decided to examine it further.

It was not the source of the power he was feeling. However, Exdeath was certain that the best place to open the portal to the new world was not far. In fact, he could feel it just outside of this room.

Exdeath leaned over the sarcophagus, as he had noticed ancient writing carved on the lid. The writing was unclear, but Exdeath could tell that it had a ritual meaning, as it was superimposed upon the carved image of a strange, cloaked figure. Behind the cloaked figure was a split picture of the sun and moon merged together.

The warrior grunted, and straightened. It was time for him to get moving. However, there was no further exit from the room, which didn't make sense to Exdeath considering the strength of the trap that had been set in place to deter him.

The warrior turned to leave. He planned to find another way out of the building that led in the direction he wanted. As he neared the exit, he suddenly became aware of another new power source, only this one was much nearer in proximity and much clearer. That kind of clarity in his senses meant that the source was in the same place as him.

Exdeath heard a crashing sound from behind him, and that was all it took for the warrior to act. He instantly warped away from the doorway, narrowly avoiding a blast of darkness that was directed at him.

Exdeath reappeared near the desk, his sword already levitating in midair and ready to fight. Without moving, the warrior gestured his arms aggressively, and his sword shot forward and unleashed a series of vicious slashes and cuts at the figure that had just attacked him.

The figure wielded a staff and a blade of some sort, both of which were moving too fast for Exdeath to get a clear look. The second it came under attack from Exdeath's golden sword, it turned and wielded its weapons expertly, blocking the strikes sent its way. Exdeath eventually withdrew his blade in preparation for another attack.

This gave his opponent time to step back and release another wave of darkness at him. Undeterred, Exdeath manipulated his sword up in front of him. His blade began to spin in a circle in front of him. In the split second before the blast hit, Exdeath infused his weapon with his own magic. The combination of the weapon's path and Exdeath's magic formed an intricate crimson crest in the air in front of him.

The darkness crashed into the crest immediately after it formed, though it was not as destructive as its wielder might have wished. In fact, Exdeath was completely unharmed. Exdeath exerted his power, and the darkness was sucked into the center of the crest. There, the warrior converted it into his own magic, and added some of his own reserves to the blast.

"Prepare for the afterlife!" Exdeath roared, and then throw his hands down in a swiping motion. The crest dissipated and released all of the energy it had collected from the dark blast back at its owner.

The figure was unable to react in time to Exdeath's counterattack, and took the blast directly in the middle. The resulting explosion knocked a massive hole in the back wall of the chamber; beyond that was the outside of the shrine. The figure was borne through the wall and into the ground outside, where a large crater formed from the impact.

Exdeath wasn't willing to give up the offensive just yet, and so he warped himself down to the field even before the smoke cleared from the impact, orbs of light forming in his hands as he did so.

With a grunt, Exdeath released the orbs he was holding and hurled them into the dust where the figure had landed, causing subsequent explosions. The warrior stood stalwart, gazing into the dust and smoke and waiting for his opponent to emerge.

"You needn't bother hiding, worm. I can sense your power," Exdeath warned his opponent, despite the fact that he couldn't see him. "Show yourself, unless you plan to flee."

The power Exdeath sensed inside the dust did not move an inch, and as the smoke eventually cleared, its dark form was revealed. Exdeath uttered a cry surprise upon finally seeing its details at last.

The figure that had attacked him possessed a humanoid form, yet that was where the similarities ended. The figure, similar to the bodies found in the altar chamber, was completely skeletal. Unlike the other skeletons, this one was wearing a maroon robe that was filthy, pockmarked with holes, and possessed shredded ends. It also wore a rusted iron helmet that revealed its eternally grinning face.

For weapons, the staff it had used looked to be merely a gnarled tree branch, but it was black in color and cleanly polished. Its sword was also black, with a red gemstone embedded in the pommel.

"Interesting. Perhaps the main reason that this place was sealed into the Rift was because of you," Exdeath spoke to the skeleton, though he doubted it could understand him. The skeleton responded by flaring its robes and dropping its jaw in a feral roar. It then proceeded to charge head on at the warrior, its sword outstretched.

"A tortured soul, perhaps?" Exdeath thought aloud even as he brought his sword to bear. The skeleton wasn't even able to reach him before it was forced to contend with the warrior's golden sword, which cut and slashed at it as soon as it reached it.

"Fear not," Exdeath assured the skeleton. The warrior walked up to the figure and grabbed his sword, continuing to fend off its mad assault with ease. With his free hand, Exdeath formed another crest, though unlike the last one, this one was much larger and was colored mostly white, with shapes of blue, yellow, and green intertwined with one another within the crest. Then, he withdrew his sword to behind the crest. The skeleton saw this as an opportunity, and tried to run forward for the kill. "For you, the _true _death approaches!"

With one last roar, Exdeath stabbed his golden sword into the middle of the crest. A stream of white light erupted from the other side of the crest, engulfing the skeleton and throwing it backwards at a high speed. With a screech, the skeleton ignited into white flames and disintegrated as Exdeath watched.

"All things begin from and return to the eternal Void. You were no exception." Exdeath at last spoke, and then he began to move forward towards the power source he had originally been tracking. It was at the end of this clearing, which was not much further away.

"Now, I must complete my task," Exdeath finished. He reached the end of the clearing, which was marked by a sudden cliff that dropped off to a watery mist, which no doubt led back to the mélange of time and space that made up the rest of the Interdimensional Rift. However, the power source he had sensed was directly on him.

From there, it was a simple matter to open another portal, though Exdeath was uncertain as to where he was going to end up. The warrior walked through his newly opened portal.

This time, as he walked through the twisting and roiling tunnel of shadow, there was a light at the end. The eventually grew until Exdeath was now standing on the other side, finally out of the Rift.

The warrior could do nothing but stand in shock at the sights before him. This was certainly not the world of the cycle anymore, as he had never seen anything of the like in that world.

He was standing on a hard, rocky surface that was colored black. It was marked with a variety of white and yellow dashed and solid lines that had seemingly no meaning, at least to Exdeath. The warrior looked around to see lush green trees and grass on one side of the black surface, while on the other was a white fence. Beyond the fence were several structures that were similar to the homes of the villagers back in his original world, which he could dimly remember from before the God of Discord summoned him.

Despite the fact that the structures appeared more advanced that what he remembered, Exdeath realized that this could only mean one thing.

He had escaped the cycle. The Emperor's plan was going to succeed.

* * *

All right, I'm done. What do you think? I confess to taking a few liberties with the characters, such as Jecht's and Ultimecia's. They just don't speak enough in the game for me to truly understand their characters.

Exdeath will be a main character for a little while, but then the story focuses mostly on the Emperor. Speaking of which, I used the appearance of the Emperor's second alternate outfit, the one with the purple black robes and white hair. It is also the one from the playstation port of FFII. I just like that one better.

The scene with the Lich (yes, I'm calling it a Lich) is NOT filler. It is in fact foreshadowing for what is to come. It was not simply a battle I threw in there to make Exdeath look awesome. Despite the fact that he _is _awesome.

I also think I went a bit overboard with my description of the Rift. The Rift always interested me, so I decided to take a few liberties with it, hence overlapping times and discarded futures.

Anyhow, leave a review and tell me what you think. The story will soon depart from Dissidia's storyline, but it provided a decent place to start.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	2. A New World! Who is the Catalyst?

Second chapter. I don't know why I'm writing this instead of Golden Sun. Wait, yes I do. I write this story when I'm feeling dark, and Psyche class tends to do that to me for some reason. Go figure.

Oh well, enough about me. Here we are going to change gears a little, switching to that schoolgirl that was mentioned on my profile. Do not worry, the Final Fantasy villains will show up. I'm just trying to set the stage for the Emperor's plan phase II.

* * *

The students bent laboriously over their desks in the notoriously hot classroom. A strange, bittersweet smell filled the air as they worked feverishly on their class project.

Mrs. Karis, one of the school's many teachers, was in charge of this class. She stood at the head of the classroom, near the door, monitoring the progress of her students and making sure each of them remained on task. While she was not the smartest of art teachers, she certainly was the most passionate.

One could usually tell when she noticed a student doing something wrong. First, she would adopt her signature half-frown, her brow wrinkling as she did so. Then she would stalk over to the hapless student and would noticeably stand behind him or her. Then she would loudly inform the student of their error, causing the other students to laugh.

No one held this quirk against her, since her corrections were always voiced in good humor, rather than anger. Today, Mrs. Karis was currently watching two particular students, who were working on their project diligently.

Their names were Eric and Rose, two well distinguished students in their class. Eric was a member of the track team. The bulging muscles in his legs served as a testament to his skill in that area. While he was not the best, he was good enough to earn a bronze or even a silver medal at many of the meets.

Rose joined two different clubs in the school. She was a member of the school band as a flute player, and performed in each of the concerts that took place throughout the school year. She was also a member of the fencing team, and was one of the best in that area. She had once won the county meet and had moved on to the state level, but had lost in the finals against a man who later went on to win nationals.

Needless to say, both of them were less than proficient at art. The sculptures that they were supposed to be creating were at the moment ugly. They were ugly enough to draw Mrs. Karis's attention, causing her to walk over to them with that half frown on her face.

The two of them knew she was coming for them, and they both sighed in anticipation of what was to come. The other students glanced over at them, having taken notice the second the teacher started to move.

"Eric, may I ask _what _that is supposed to be?" the teacher questioned, her half frown turning into a humorous smirk. Eric glanced up at her sheepishly, revealing the short rope of clay that he was currently working on.

"Heck, I don't know. A snake maybe?" the teen responded, earning a laugh from the teacher as well as the surrounding students. Mrs. Karis glanced at the pitiful piece of clay.

"Snakes have mouths, dear. Must I tell you what this looks like to me?" the teacher joked. While the other students laughed at his predicament, Eric let his face fall into his palm.

"You know she's totally right," Rose teased her friend, smiling cheekily. Her comment not only caused Eric to scoff, but it also attracted the teacher's attention.

"Can I ask what _you're _working on, Rose?" Mrs. Karis asked next, gazing down at Rose's pitiful attempt at a sculpture. On the table was a collection of small balls of clay. Rose noticed that all attention was on her now, and she blushed, the color of her cheeks now matching the color of her long, curly hair.

"Grapes?" Rose suggested, a wry grin crossing her face. There was a pause as another wave of laughter crossed through the class. Mrs. Karis shook her head in exasperation.

"Wrong." She quipped. "All joking aside, your project needs to show some effort if you want to get a good grade."

While the teacher continued to admonish the two, the rest of the class returned to their sculptures. In the back of the room, a lone girl sat at the last table, ignoring the class and working hard on her sculpture.

She was a pretty, well endowed girl, but it was hard to see any more than her left eye and a section of her mouth due to her unique hairstyle. Her hair extended down to just below her shoulders in the back, while in the front it fell down over her face. On the left side, a single black hairpin held her hair back to reveal a single blue eye. In appearance, her hair was a lustrous black color that reflected the light gently.

For clothes, she wore a light pink turtleneck with long sleeves that partially obscured her delicate hands. Coupling together with this was a set of black skinny jeans that clung tightly to her legs, accenting her features nicely.

She bent over her sculpture as she worked, showing excellent dexterity in using the tools to carve minute details into her work. Her sculpture was in the shape of a young girl with the large eyes typical of anime characters. As she worked, details such as wrinkles in the clothing, lines in the hair, and facial features began to form.

Eventually, when Mrs. Karis began walking around the room to check on everyone's progress, the girl was getting close to done with her sculpture, unlike every other student in the room. Once the teacher started walking towards her, the girl instinctively curved her body to cover her work, not wanting anyone to see it just yet. Mrs. Karis raised an eyebrow upon seeing this behavior.

"Is there some reason you don't want me to see your work, Claire?" the teacher asked suspiciously, gaining the attention of the other students. Claire shifted uncomfortably in her seat, but made no move to show the teacher her sculpture.

"I…it's…it's not…f…finished yet," Claire stammered shyly. She spoke quietly, so that only the teacher could hear her words. Mrs. Karis sighed, having dealt with this girl before.

"It's my job to make sure you are staying on task. Show me! Come on, it can't be as bad as the dynamic duo over there," the teacher persuaded, thrusting a thumb at Eric and Rose. The other students laughed at the obvious jibe at the athletic teens' art skills.

Claire hesitated for a moment, and then she reluctantly turned her body so that Mrs. Karis could see her sculpture. Once the teacher laid eyes upon the clay figurine of a very realistic looking girl, she emitted a surprised gasp.

"This is amazing! Why would you want to hide this?" Mrs. Karis praised the shy girl exuberantly. Claire stammered incoherently, the one visible piece of skin from behind her hair turning red. Upon hearing the teacher's high praise, a few other students stood up from their tables and began migrating over the see Claire's work.

Claire noticed them coming and let out a squeak. She instantly positioned her body so that her sculpture was hidden once more. There were a few exclamations of disappointment and frustration from the sightseeing students when they realized they were not going to see anything.

"Oi! Back to your seats. No one said you could wander!" Mrs. Karis snapped at the students, causing them to scurry back to their tables. Once they were free from observation, the teacher leaned back towards Claire.

"Keep it up. You are guaranteed to make an A on this project." Claire nodded shyly and watched the teacher walk back to the head of the classroom. Once there was no one near her table, she returned to work on her sculpture.

The bell rang not long after that, signaling the end of the school day. The classroom, which had plunged into silence after Mrs. Karis had moved back to the front of the room, erupted into chatter as the students packed up their work and prepared to go home.

"All right! Track practice!" Eric yelled excitedly, throwing his failed sculpture into the resource bin, where the students retrieved new pieces of clay for their work. He slung on his bag and left the room with his best friend Rose, who was equally excited about going to her own after school session.

The class filtered out through the door, with the exception of Claire, who continued to fill in the last details of her sculpture. Mrs. Karis noticed her presence in the room and smiled knowingly. The teacher was used to seeing her in this room in the after school hours, and often conversed with the girl about the day's events. Claire rarely spoke back, but that didn't matter in the teacher's opinion.

"You are probably my most dedicated student, Claire. Do you plan to be an art major when you graduate high school?" Mrs. Karis asked curiously as she pulled out a folder from her file cabinet. She had grading to do, and she had no qualms about sharing that time with one of her favorite students.

"Y…yes ma'am," Claire murmured. The girl picked up another tool and began adding the finishing touches to her sculpture.

"Glad to hear that. I feel like your work would be a huge hit!" the teacher replied. The room fell silent after that.

Claire stood up at last, holding her completed sculpture. Mrs. Karis noticed her movement and stood up as well, knowing what the girl wanted next. The teacher moved over the back door of the classroom. Her key ring jangling, the woman managed to find the right key, and she proceeded to unlock it for Claire. Inside was the room where the students would place their work into the kiln, where it would be heated until it hardened. Then, it could be painted to perfection.

"I think you're the first one done with the project. Go ahead and heat that up. I can't wait to see it once it's completed." Mrs. Karis expressed to the quiet girl. Without replying, Claire walked into the back room and placed her sculpture into the kiln.

"All right, let me start this up. It'll be just a few minutes," the teacher informed Claire. The girl nodded and returned to her seat.

She reached inside of her bag and pulled out one of the many mangas that she kept inside, opening it to the page she had been reading last. In this manner she would spend the short time it took to harden her sculpture.

A familiar loud hum filled the room as the kiln roared to life in the back room. Mrs. Karis walked out of the room, returning to her desk to resume her grading.

* * *

Once the kiln was finished, the hum shut off. The silence caused Claire to look up from her book. Mrs. Karis also noticed the silence, so she rose from her seat and traveled into the back room once more.

Claire placed her manga back into her bag and zipped it up. She shouldered the bag and moved over near the back room, waiting awkwardly just outside while the teacher retrieved her sculpture from the kiln.

"Very good, Claire. Can't wait to see until it's painted," Mrs. Karis expressed to the raven-haired teen once she emerged from the room. The girl nodded and took her sculpture from the teacher's outstretched hand. "I'll see you tomorrow in class."

Claire left the art room hurriedly, her project clutched close to her breast protectively. She didn't have any reason to stay at school after her work was done, since she hadn't joined any clubs.

The art classroom was on the second floor in an L-shaped hallway, with the stairs that led downwards located at the base of the "L." Claire turned the corner, threading her way through the throngs of students who still had business in the building. None of them paid her any particular attention apart from the curious glance. Her reputation as a loner was well known throughout her grade.

She descended the stairs swiftly and entered the school's main lobby, where the exit to the school was located. She didn't waste any time in turning towards that direction. Once outside, there was the school garden stretched out ahead of her. It mainly consisted of a large cobblestone path with a fountain halfway down. The path eventually terminated at the school gates. On either side of the walkway were rows of planted flowers and trees that were tall enough to cast some shade upon the cobblestones. Under these trees was a popular place for students to meet and hang out after school.

Claire cared little for any of this, so she walked past everything and moved towards the school gates. She needed to get home so she could paint her sculpture.

In front of the gates were three particular students, who were grouped in such a way that they were blocking anyone who wanted to pass through. Claire recognized them, and she slowed to a halt, shock and fear evident in her eyes. The students in front of her stood in a triangular fashion, each of them facing inwards to facilitate discussion. The one facing the entrance to the school was the one that spotted Claire first.

"Hey, look who it is, guys," the teen announced, interrupting his friends and gesturing in Claire's direction. This teen, in both his manner and dress, attempted to emulate what he thought was the Gothic culture, though anyone who knew their history would know how wrong he was. He was not particularly attractive by any means, so he hid most of his features behind one long tuft of black hair than fell in front of his face. For clothes, the teen wore nothing but the color black.

"Oi, it's Claire," another of the students observed, elbowing his friend, who looked as well and sniggered ominously. They both emulated the first teen in their manner of dress.

"If it isn't our favorite future art major," the first teen called in an amicable tone that didn't fool Claire for a second. She attempted to back away, intending to head back inside the school and find an alternate exit, but the students moved to block her on all sides.

"P…please…let me pass," she murmured timidly. The first teen stepped up close to her and laughed at her request.

"What, leaving so soon? We were just saying hello, right Gavin?" he remarked. The teen who he spoke to stepped closer as well.

"Yo, Ray, look at what she's got there," Gavin pointed out. Ray regarded Claire and easily spotted the sculpture she held in her hands.

"What have we here? Is that for the art project?" Ray questioned, and then before Claire had time to hide her creation, the teen snatched it from her hands. "Maybe we should critique it for you. See how nice we are?"

"H…hey! Give that back!" Claire snapped desperately, stepping forward. Ray shoved her back roughly, causing the girl to stumble and nearly fall. She let out a cry as this happened. She looked around, hoping that there was a member of the faculty nearby who could help. To her horror, there was not a single other person in the garden but her and Ray's group.

"What the hell is that supposed to be? Its eyes look like gumdrops," the third teen remarked when he looked at the sculpture in Ray's hands. Ray turned the sculpture over in his hands, pretending to actually care about its details.

"Good question. What is this supposed to be? It can't be a person," Ray joked with his friends, who laughed along with him maliciously. Claire attempted to reach out for her sculpture again, only for Ray to smack her hand away. She yelped and nursed her stinging hand. "Tell you what, I'll do you a favor. No teacher would give you an A for this shit, so I'll let you start over."

Claire cried out in horror as Ray turned and threw the sculpture like a baseball into a nearby tree, where the fragile thing shattered into pieces. Tears squeezed out from Claire's one visible eye as weeks of work disappeared in a flash.

"See? You should be thanking us," Ray demanded, a grin crossing his face. Claire didn't reply. Heaving a sob, she squeezed her way past the three students and sprinted down the street, their hurtful laughter following her the whole way.

Now that she was on the street, Claire instinctively began retracing the route she had taken to school today. She kept her feelings pent up inside until she reached the Fawson Enterprise outpost here in town, which produced most of the electronic equipment for the nearby school.

Here, she turned and entered a small side alley between the walls of that building and one of the school dorms. Claire followed the alley until she reached her secret place; this was nothing more than a small dingy bench where she hid when she didn't want to be disturbed.

She sat down on the bench, throwing her bag down on the old wood beside her. Now that she was alone, she let herself cry. She spent weeks on that sculpture, investing time and love into creating a figure that she could be proud of, something that she would place on her desk and keep forever. All of that, gone in a second thanks to some jerk from her school. It just wasn't fair!

Claire pounded her fist into the wood of the bench. The sound from the impact echoed eerily through the quiet alley. She wished she had more power, or someway to show Ray and his stupid friends that they couldn't mess with her anymore.

"Goddammit, I wish I had power!" she screamed aloud. Almost as soon as the echo from her yell of anguish faded away, another sound made itself apparent. Claire sat up, alarmed, as the sound of metal clanking and what sounded like jewelry clinking against that metal began echoing through the alley. It was like someone or something made completely of metal was coming her way. She peered down the alley curiously, trying to see if she could detect the source of the disturbance. Then she saw it.

A large man, taller than anyone Claire had ever seen in her life, turned the corner into her alley. She couldn't make out any of his features, since he was wearing a suit of heavy cyan-colored armor decorated with gaudy jewels and beads. She couldn't even see his face because of his helmet, which was unique in that it grew out of the breastplate, rather than being a separate piece. He was holding a long, golden sword that was decorated similar to his armor.

Claire was confused, even as the man drew closer. Was there a renaissance fair around here? Or maybe an anime convention…wait, that couldn't be right. Claire, being an avid anime fan herself, would have heard about it if there was an anime convention in town. If that was true, then who was this man, and why was he dressed so strangely?

Claire hid herself in her bangs and hunched over as the man reached her. Hopefully, he would just pass her by and she could go back to agonizing about her horrible life. The armored man thudded past her bench. Once he was past her, Claire let out a relieved sigh.

As if on cue, the man halted in place, and turned his head slightly to look back at her. He made a quiet sound of surprise in his throat. His voice was incredibly deep. Claire began to get a bad feeling about this man.

"You…You are the source of power that I seek," the man affirmed, turning himself around and walking back towards her. Once he reached her bench, he turned to face her. He rested his sword point down onto the concrete, leaning his wait on it.

"Wh…what? I…I…don't…" Claire tried to get out, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't form a coherent statement due to the questions running through her mind. Who was this man? Why was he talking to her, of all people? Why was he dressed so strangely? What did he mean, source of power? Claire wanted to scream in confusion.

"Tell me, woman. How is it that you possess so much power?" the man interrogated her, leaning forward. Claire, in response, leaned backwards and gulped.

"I…I…power? I…I don't have…power…" she stammered, pressing herself against the wall. The man made a sound of surprise, and then he sighed.

"It appears it has not been awakened as of yet," the man declared, confusing Claire further. "I apologize for my rudeness, woman. I am Exdeath. I have come from the Rift."

Exdeath? What kind of name was that? To Claire, things were getting worse and worse. An armed man named Exdeath? The Rift? Mustering what little courage she had, she attempted to answer him.

"I…I'm Claire…um…nice to meet you?" she replied, a questioning edge in her courteous greeting. Exdeath responded by briefly laughing. It was a hoarse laugh, one that gave Claire chills down her spine.

"Surely your people know something of the Rift?" the warrior asked with a hint of disbelief in his deep voice. Claire, her one visible eye wide with fear, shook her head vigorously. "I see. Then this will be more difficult than I had anticipated."

Claire grabbed her bag and staggered to her feet. She didn't understand anything of what this Exdeath was saying, but her feeling of foreboding was growing worse and worse. She needed to get home, and fast.

"I…I need…homework…back home," she stammered, hoping the man would understand. She scampered past the man and ran out of the alley and onto the street. She looked behind her to make sure he wasn't following. She let out a sigh of relief when she saw that he was not.

That was too weird. Claire now wanted to be home, and she doubted she would leave it for a while.

Claire let out a squeak of shock when she turned the corner. Standing there, at the entrance to her apartment building, was Exdeath. She turned the other way and started to run, but Exdeath suddenly faded into existence directly in front of her. Unable to stop, she collided with the man's breastplate and rebounded off of it, landing on her butt on the sidewalk. Claire cried out and nursed her face and body, which stung from the impact.

"You scare easily, Claire. Fear not. Harming you would be a waste," Exdeath told her in what might have been a reassuring voice, should he not have been wearing that intimidating armor. Claire was surprised when the man offered her his hand.

Claire turned red. She shyly grasped his clawed gauntlet and was hoisted to her feet with incredible strength.

"What do you want with me?" she asked suspiciously. Although Exdeath had expressed an unwillingness to hurt her, she was far from trusting him. People just don't teleport around willy nilly like this guy was doing. Exdeath motioned for her to walk ahead of him. She did so, walking into her apartment building with him. The clerk at the desk inside the building stared fixatedly at Exdeath, which was unsurprising considering his attire.

"My comrades and I were trapped in a tortuous realm far from here and forced to fight endlessly," Exdeath related to her. Claire listened, though she didn't believe a word of it.

"I traveled here through the Rift with my unique abilities, using your latent power as an anchor," Exdeath continued. Claire blinked. The two of them walked into the elevator, and Claire pushed the button for her floor.

"Whoa whoa, wait. What is the Rift, and what's all this about my power?" Claire snapped. "This is like something out of a manga."

Exdeath laughed at her disbelief. Once the elevator door opened to reveal her floor, the two of them walked down the hallway. Claire fished inside of her bag to find her apartment key.

"Imagine that this world is the realm of light, and that there is an opposite realm of darkness far removed from yours, such that suspicion of its existence would be nonexistent. The part of space where those two Realms overlap is the Interdimensional Rift." Exdeath explored. Claire deadpanned. If she was in an anime right now, she knew she would be sweat dropping right now.

"That…that can't be real. It sounds like something out of a TV show. Are you sure you're not insane?" Claire replied scornfully. She reached her apartment an unlocked it, revealing her modest home. She let Exdeath inside, but only because she knew he could get inside anyway through that little trick he did back outside.

Exdeath remained quiet. As a triumphant grin began to cross Claire's face, Exdeath began gesturing strangely with his hands. As an awed Claire watched, the air twisted and shattered in the middle of her apartment to reveal a dark hole. Shadows flickered and rotated like flames inside, and even as she watched, openings that led to different biomes would open and close.

"There's your proof, Claire. Perhaps you should leave your preconceptions of reality behind, and listen to my words?" Exdeath asserted. He abruptly shut the portal right after he finished talking. He didn't even need to say anything. Claire was already beginning to question her belief in the laws of the universe.

"So this Rift…you found your way here because of…me?" she asked for clarification. Exdeath nodded slowly. Claire let out a long sigh. She threw her bag down next to her black leather couch, and then she sat down on the couch herself and placed her head in her hands. "What is your world like, then?"

"The world in which my comrades are trapped in consists of copies of other structures and landscapes mixed together in a conglomerate fashion. It is a hellish place, where we are locked in a cycle of battle with no end," Exdeath explained. The warrior gazed directly at her. "This leads me to my request for you."

"Wha…?! Request?" Claire exclaimed. She hadn't expected the man to ask something of her. She couldn't believe that there were other worlds out there, despite the fact that she had been shown proof. She only hoped that his request wouldn't be too hard.

"I need you to stay alive, Claire. If you were to unexpectedly perish, then my comrades will be trapped within that world for eternity," Exdeath finally told her. Claire blinked. What an odd request. She understood why he might be worried about his comrades, but did he really need to tell her to stay alive?

"Like I'm going to commit suicide or anything," Claire snapped sarcastically. Exdeath remained silent. Claire realized how mean she had just sounded, and she clapped both of her hands over her mouth.

"In fact, until the Rift stabilizes long enough for them to pass through, I shall ensure your survival," the warrior finished. With that, Claire could see Exdeath's form start to fade away.

"Wait! I'm not sure I understand!" Claire cried, standing up from her couch. Exdeath laughed once more.

"You do not need to understand, mortal," was all Exdeath said before he completely vanished from her living room. Claire was left staring at nothing in an empty room

"Mortal?" Claire repeated incredulously to herself. With Exdeath gone, she now remembered what was waiting for her tomorrow. She had an English quiz tomorrow in the morning, and a math test later that afternoon. She had been intending to study until she fell asleep tonight. She immediately resolved to do just that.

Claire retreated to her room. Her room was small, but it was enough for her. She had turned the small space into someplace she could feel at home in.

Inside the room, there was a small desk tucked in the far right corner. The desk was littered with pencils, both normal and colored. There was a stack of college ruled paper sitting on top of a raised area in the very corner of the desk, held in place by metal rods that had been soldered to the desk. Beside the paper were the textbooks that she hadn't needed to use today. Finally, a small lamp with an adjustable neck sat next to the textbooks.

Her walls were decorated with various posters and wall scrolls, each one depicting different animes and mangas that Claire particularly identified with. The one hanging just above her bed depicted a fearless man, shirtless, who wielded a sword and shield. When she was lying on her bed, she could look straight ahead into the mirror attached to the wall directly in front of the bed. That way, she could see herself working, with that poster above her.

Claire retrieved her bag and opened it up, pulling her school binder out, along with the textbooks she had used earlier that day in school. She placed her bag gently next to her bed, and then took the binder and placed it on the top of the desk. Then, she sat down on the leather chair and rotated until she faced the desk.

Pushing the thoughts of Exdeath and his odd claims out of her mind, she opened up her binder on the desk and began studying.

* * *

The majority of the next day went as Claire expected. She had been up nearly all night studying, so she headed to school still sleepy, the caffeine from the soda she drank that morning having seemingly no effect.

The English quiz was easier than she expected, though it was clear that this was because of her studying the night before. Her pen moved like lightning, and she was the third to finish out of the whole class. Claire left that room with a smile, certain that she had gotten a good grade. That would mean she was one step closer to acing that class.

Math was considerably harder, but Claire was certain she did well. She knew she missed a few problems near the end, because they had been in the last chapter that was assigned. She hadn't gotten to that chapter last night, because she fell asleep upon completing the one before. She nailed the extra credit question, so in the end those few problems wouldn't matter.

In art class, Claire had flown into a depression, refusing to talk at all. She had been bombarded by questions from Mrs. Karis when the teacher had noticed her starting her project over, but Claire lied and said that her previous sculpture hadn't been good enough for her. The teacher had been far from convinced, but she said nothing more. It sickened her that even Eric and Rose were close to completion, while she had to do everything over.

* * *

The last bell finally rang, releasing everyone from school. Unlike the previous day, Claire did not stay behind to work on her project. Instead, she rushed outside with her stuff before the teacher could question her further.

As before, Claire walked down the stairs and into the lobby. It wasn't long before she was walking back through the garden towards the gate. She let out a sigh of relief when Ray and his friends were not hanging out at the gate as usual. She walked out onto the street, happy to be heading home.

When she turned the corner into her alley, her heart nearly stopped. Standing right around the corner, as if waiting for her, were .Ray and his friends.

She tried to back away, but they had already noticed her. They each wore malevolent grins that promised nothing but trouble. They swiftly blocked her way forward as well as her retreat. She was stuck again.

"Hey, it's Claire. I've been meaning to chat with you really. How convenient this is," Ray jeered. His friends laughed at his words. Gavin cracked his knuckles threateningly. Claire gulped, knowing that she might not get out of this one unscathed.

"You see, my advice yesterday was not a freebie. Our services don't come for free," Ray hinted. Claire suddenly went cold. What were they implying?

"Yeah, now you gotta do something for us, see?" Gavin added. Claire now was extremely worried. She was in an alley alone with the people who hated her most. She didn't need to be a genius to know that the situation she was in was less than favorable.

"I called first dibs, remember?" the third teen, who went by the name of Jerren, reminded them. Claire went pale, and she attempted to squeeze her way past Ray, only for him to shove her to the ground. He placed his foot on her shoulder when she tried to rise, pinning her there. She struggled, but Ray was a member of the football team. He wasn't someone she could shift by herself.

" I don't think so, Jerren. Who planned this?" Ray corrected his friend. He knelt down over Claire, a wild grin crossing his face. "She's mine first."

Claire went to scream, but Ray responded by smacking her hard in the face when she opened her mouth. She saw stars in her vision. Ray's strength was nothing to scoff at.

"Don't even think about it, bitch," he snarled in her face. He nodded to his friends, and then lifted his foot. Seizing the moment, Claire again tried to rise, but the three teens grabbed her limbs and shoved her back down. Her breath left her lungs instantly as her back smashed into the concrete ground once more.

She cried out as she felt the men tearing at her clothes. She struggled for all she was worth, but she just wasn't strong enough to wrench herself free. Ray smacked her again for crying out. Claire began to cry, both at the pain and at the situation. Either they were going to kill her here, or she was going to end herself if she got out of this alive.

Just as Ray managed to rip a hole in Claire's shirt, she heard a strange whooshing sound, followed by a colossal crash and a cry of pain. The pressure on her right leg, where Jerren had been holding her, disappeared. Ray and Gavin ceased their activities to look at what had just occurred.

Claire turned her head to see a hole knocked clear through the concrete wall. Inside, she could barely see Jerren's limp form. She tried to find out who could have done this, and she let out a gasp of shock when she saw Exdeath standing stalwart in the alley.

"What the fuck…who in God's name are you?" Ray snapped. Claire saw the teen slowly draw a knife from his back pocket with his free hand. When there was no response, Ray growled.

"Gavin, hold her there. I'll take care of this meddler," he snapped. Gavin nodded, and Ray released her arm. Claire tried to move, but Gavin held her firm.

"Mind your own goddamn business!" Ray shouted at Exdeath, who had yet to say a word. The teen brandished his knife high as he ran at the armored man. Claire watched anxiously, wondering how this would turn out.

When Ray reached Exdeath, the teen leap forward and brought his knife down with both hands onto the warrior's breastplate. The knife shattered into glittering pieces upon impact while Ray watched with shocked eyes. Exdeath laughed in derision, and then backhanded the teen with his gauntlet. The force behind the seemingly minor blow was so great, that there was the sound of bones breaking. Ray shouted in pain as he was knocked off his feet and sent flying. The teen collided with Claire's favorite bench, which shattered into splinters.

"What the…" Gavin uttered in utter shock. Both of his friends had just been annihilated, each by a single blow. Exdeath was nothing like any of them had ever seen in their lives. Gavin, upon seeing that Exdeath was slowly walking towards him, immediately released Claire and sprinted towards the exit of the alley.

Exdeath warped in front of the running teen, who skidded to a stop and stared in shock for a split second before the warrior acted. Exdeath dealt the teen a swift kick, knocking him into the air. Gavin flew backwards until he collided with the wall several feet up, which cracked under the impact. The teen cried out in pain as he fell to the ground.

"I shall send you to the Void myself!" Exdeath snarled. The warrior held out his hand. As Claire watched, three orbs of light formed in the warrior's palm. Upon their creation, they began to slowly rotate in midair just above his hand. Claire realized what Exdeath was going to do.

"Exdeath, wait!" Claire screamed. She finally hoisted herself back to her feet. Her heavy damaged shirt slipped from her body to the ground, having been ripped nearly in half. Thankfully, she had been wearing a black bra underneath the shirt. She covered herself as she walked over to Exdeath. The warrior turned his head ever so slightly in reaction to her call. "Don't kill them."

"Surely you don't wish to spare them. I assume you knew what they planned to do to you," Exdeath responded in surprise to her request. The orbs grew larger and began to rotate faster.

"I do, but…killing them is beneath you. You are honest and chivalrous, and killing them will do nothing more than reduce you to their level!" Claire begged. "Please…I don't want you killing anyone on my behalf."

Ray's eyes widened in shock when he heard Claire begging for their lives. He let out a weak cry as he hoisted himself to his feet. His ribs were clearly broken in several places. He began to limp towards Gavin, who was attempting to get up himself.

Exdeath gazed at Claire for a long moment. For a moment, Claire was worried that he was going to kill them anyway. Then, the orbs rotating above his palm dissipated, and he let his hand fall back by his side once more.

"As you wish," he relented. Ray and Gavin heaved a sigh of relief, and moved past Exdeath to lift up their friend Jerren, who was coming to his senses again.

All it took was one glance from Exdeath to send the three teens scampering away onto the street to safety. The warrior then thudded over to Claire, who was attempting to gather the pieces of her shredded shirt.

"Are you unharmed?" Exdeath asked simply, seemingly not caring at the state of her clothing. Claire suddenly realized her situation, and she turned a deep scarlet and covered her bra with her arms.

"Y…yeah…thank you. I would have died if not for you," Claire expressed gratefully to the armored warrior. Exdeath sighed and slightly turned away from the girl. Claire could detect a hint of exasperation in the warrior's voice, and she realized that she was going to get a lecture.

"I asked you not to perish in the time it took for my comrades to arrive," Exdeath reminded her, causing her to nod apologetically and look at the ground. "If there was even the slightest possibility of death, you should have taken steps to prevent it."

"I'm…I'm s…sorry, Exdeath," Claire sniffed, and a single tear trickled down her cheek. The warrior said nothing for a while. Then, his form began to fade. Claire looked up, shocked by his sudden impending departure.

"You're leaving already?" she asked in surprise. Exdeath gave her one last look as he faded away.

"I trust you have learned your lesson. Protect yourself, or I shall do it for you," Exdeath ordered her. Claire nodded one last time as Exdeath finally disappeared, leaving her in the trashed alley by herself.

She viewed the wreckage and sighed in disappointment. It looked like she would have to find a new place to hang out, since this one was nearly demolished. No doubt the police would start asking around as well, since the hole in the company building would be viewed as vandalism.

More importantly, she needed a shirt.

* * *

Ray, Gavin, and Jerren slowly limped their way into another alley, where they could catch their breath. What should have been an easy, pleasurable time with that girl they hated had suddenly turned into a disaster. Ray's ribs were broken, Gavin's spine was really hurting, and Jerren had broken his arm and leg from the impact.

"This is bullshit…" Gavin spat, letting himself slide to the ground in a sitting position. Ray grunted; he and Jerren were helping one another walk.

"This is going to cost us…medical bills for this are going to be ridiculous," Jerren reminded them. Gavin groaned when he realized Jerren was right. Ray remained standing as he lowered Jerren to the ground. It was only his ribs that were broken, so he tried to remain as still as possible in order not to jar them.

"What kind of guy even walks around in armor that can break a knife?" Gavin continued. "Who the hell knew that bitch had friends like that?!"

"I don't think there's a renaissance fair nearby, so it was probably just some cosplayer playing hero," Ray rationalized. Jerren scoffed from his position on the ground.

"Had to be a rich one too. That armor wasn't just for show. Speaking of which, wasn't that the dagger your dad gave you, Ray?" the teen added. Ray swore and threw the broken handle of his useless knife to the ground.

"Yes, dammit. Supposedly made of some awesome metal that wouldn't break. AWESOME MY ASS!" Ray yelled, more at the knife than at his friends. "Fucking cosplayer, ruining our lives…"

The group lapsed into a momentary silence as they reflected on that horrendous event. Jerren let out a small whimper as he inspected his arm. It was already starting to swell up. The skin around Ray's chest was starting to turn red and blotchy, and it was likely that it would start to swell soon as well.

"Where's the nearest hospital? We need to get these injuries treated soon. Our parents will have to scrape up the money somehow," Gavin asked, breaking the silence, though he was the least hurt of all of them.

"Should have kept that damn sculpture. Someone would have bought it for a good amount of money," Jerren reflected before responding to Gavin's question. "I think there's one a few blocks a way. Heh…a few blocks away…shit."

"Come here, Jerren. I know you can't walk without me," Ray ordered. Jerren nodded and used his good arm and leg to hoist himself to his feet. He and Ray once again began to help one another move. Ray grunted in pain when Jerren's weight fell on his ribs.

"Better yet, let me handle Jerren. Ray, you don't need to put any weight on that wound," Gavin interjected sensibly. Ray nodded breathlessly, relinquishing Jerren to his friend. Gavin grunted as he took on the weight of Jerren. He draped his friend's arm over his shoulder and used his hand to support him.

The three teens slowly moved down the alley. If Ray remembered correctly, this particular alley exited on the opposite side of the street. From there, they could reach the hospital after a few minutes of walking.

They turned a corner. This brought the end of the alley into sight. Daylight shone from the small gap between buildings, alighting on the teens' faces.

"My fucking ribs…that guy is going to pay," Ray swore, using the wall as leverage. "I don't care what I have to do."

His friends grunted in agreement. Ray let them go on ahead, as he stopped to catch his breath. He gazed at the ground, sweat falling from his forehead to the ground.

A shadow fell across his face. Ray blinked, wondering what had blocked the sunlight. However, he was forced to look when his friends froze dead in their tracks and gasped aloud. Ray's hand dropped to his size, and his jaw fell open in horror. Standing at the very exit to the alley was Exdeath.

The armored warrior laughed menacingly, walking slowly down the alley towards them. Ray took a step back, his ribs paining him terribly as he did so. The pain didn't matter anymore, however, as adrenaline surged through his system.

"It's HIM! RUN!" Ray shouted to his friends. Despite their injuries, the friends turned tail and ran as fast as their conditions allowed back down the alley.

"You shall not escape!" Exdeath declared. His arm shot out, pointing at the corner where the teens were headed. A thin, white beam of light shot forth. Exdeath swiped his arm to the left, so that the thin beam traced the entirety of the exit.

Once Exdeath let the beam dissipate, there was a split second of silence before a massive wave of white fire erupted from the ground where the beam had traced. The wave was so tall, it rose high above the buildings. It was so destructive, it completely destroyed the walls closest to it, sending dust and debris everywhere. The explosion knocked the teens backwards.

Ray and his friends screamed aloud, both in pain and fear, as they landed on their backs in the dingy alley. As they watched, the buildings Exdeath had targeted completely collapsed, blocking the teens' only escape.

"Hey…uh…Claire…made you spare us…remember?" Jerren stuttered, trying to save their skins.

"Yeah, so…let us go!" Gavin chimed in. Their pleas did little more than make Exdeath laugh. The warrior brought his arm down. The teens winced, but nothing happened.

"You say that as if you actually believed I would take orders from a feeble mortal such as her. Naïve weaklings!" Exdeath bellowed at them. The teens cowered against the debris that blocked their way out, whimpering in fear.

"What did you…who are you!? GET AWAY FROM ME!" Ray screamed desperately at the armored warrior. As Exdeath expressed his amusement, the sound of police sirens filled the air, having been attracted by the explosion. Exdeath turned his head slightly to face the street.

"Meddlesome fools…I must finish this quickly." The warrior decided. As the traumatized teens watched, Exdeath slowly lifted one arm, his hand arcing to face the ground. A small point of darkness formed there, drawing their eyes. Before they could even wonder about its meaning, it expanded to the size of a baseball. Inside was a dark void filled with miniscule points of light.

Ray yelled out his surprise when the hole began sucking in anything and everything in the alley. When he and his friends felt themselves start to lift off of the ground, they panicked and flailed around for anything to anchor themselves. Ray clamped onto a crack in the concrete, his legs flailing in the air behind him.

Gavin and Jerren weren't as lucky. They screamed and yelled, but were inevitably drawn towards the hole created by Exdeath. When they reached the hole, Exdeath used his free hand to grasp the bottom of the hole as if it were a window, and enlarged the hole to encompass the incoming teens. Once Gavin and Jerren had fallen into the dark void, Exdeath shrunk the hole once more. The teens were now lost from sight.

Ray shouted out the names of his friends, but he was unable to dwell on their disappearance. The entire concrete slab broke into pieces, and Ray was borne into the air. The screaming teen flew back through he air, until he too was swallowed by the endless darkness in Exdeath's hands.

"Do not fear. All things begin from and return to the Void. Your journey merely came earlier than expected," Exdeath reassured them, despite the fact that they couldn't hear him any more. Exdeath then brought the dark hole to his other hand. Now that the hole was between his two hands, he brought them together, closing it. A sound akin to that of thunder resulted as it shut, echoing through the alley and out into the street.

Exdeath was left alone in the empty, destroyed alley. The sirens drew closer and closer, so Exdeath made sure not to linger long. He warped to the top of the nearest intact building, out of sight of the incoming police cruisers. He turned away, walking behind a set of structures installed upon the tall building's roof.

"I shall not waste time disciplining this species just yet," Exdeath stated to himself, referring to the police.

"Indeed. That task falls to me," came a silky smooth voice just before a purple robed figure materialized on the rooftop a few feet away from Exdeath. The warrior turned his head, and upon recognizing the new arrival, inclined his head ever so slightly in respect.

"Mateus. You were watching?" Exdeath inquired curiously. The Emperor floated just above the surface of the roof, gliding closer to Exdeath.

"Indeed. A most excellent performance, if superfluous." Mateus responded with a hint of humor in his voice. Exdeath chuckled briefly before falling back into silence.

"Does this world appeal to you? I have spent an inordinate amount of time ensuring our anchor's well-being." Exdeath grumbled, clearly not amused. "She called me 'honest and chivalrous.' Ha! What a complete fool."

The Emperor didn't answer at first. He floated over to the edge of the roof and watched as the policemen scurried around in their quest for the source of the wanton destruction.

"It will suffice. I cannot sense Shinryu's presence, as I could before. I believe that the first phase of my plan has succeeded," Mateus finally remarked. Exdeath nodded soundlessly.

"…and the second?" was the warrior's next ominous question. A small smile formed on Mateus's face.

"You did well, Exdeath. The girl will make an excellent catalyst," he replied. Exdeath laughed in triumph. Things were finally going well for the former warriors of Chaos.

"I believe I have also discovered a suitable location for the ritual. It requires a significant amount of life force, does it not?" the armored warrior continued. Interested, Mateus followed Exdeath as the warrior began to walk towards the opposite edge of the building.

"A significant amount. Several hundred individuals, at the least, will be required to make proper use of the catalyst. You are sure this location can provide the resources we need?" The Emperor answered the query without missing a beat. When the warriors reached the edge of the roof, Exdeath pointed down at the sprawling campus of the high school where Claire attended class.

"I have been watching the catalyst since I discovered its location. She continuously frequented this building," Exdeath related. "Upon further reconnaissance, I located a courtyard within where the required amount of mortals will gather at a specific point in the day. I believe that will be sufficient to begin the ritual."

The Emperor followed the warrior's line of sight. Upon seeing the school, he cast his gaze around until he spotted the courtyard in question. The Emperor nodded after a moment to show his satisfaction.

"Excellent. I shall wait until nightfall, and then I shall draw the sigil for the ritual, among other preparations," Mateus affirmed. Exdeath nodded, and then the air nearby tore open to reveal another portal to the Rift. The armored warrior moved towards the portal with the intent to enter it.

"Then I shall facilitate the passage of each of the other warriors to this realm," Exdeath asserted. Mateus nodded once, and then he faded away, no doubt on his way to carry out his plan. Exdeath gazed at the spot where the Emperor used to be for a second, and then he strode into the Interdimensional Rift.

* * *

All right! That was tougher than I thought. I was so bored writing about this girl, because I prefer to write about badass man and women who can kick ass, instead of weak little girls like Claire. Ugh! Thank god I won't have to write about her for much longer. I nearly hit writers block, but I forced myself to keep going until I met Exdeath.

Speaking of Exdeath, do you think he seemed good at first? What an actor he is! Huh, I think Kuja said that to Exdeath once as well. What even.

A lot of foreshadowing near the end too. I shall explain…nothing! Mwahaha. Anyhow, time to move on to the shoutouts.

Justyoumi: Congradulations, you are my first reviewer. She gets a pedestal. No one else gets one, because no one else can be first! (And yes, I actually checked her profile this time to make sure was gender she was. Believe me, I have mistaken that before, and the reviewer was not happy) Anyhow, you mentioned the Emperor. Yeah, he's pretty great. Hence why he's the main character. Well, so far Exdeath has seemed like the main character, but then again, this is only the prologue. Yeah, my stories have lots of buildup, and I tend to hit writers block before the fighting starts. Not this time. Shit's gonna hit the fan next chapter. And YES! Ultimecia, in FFVIII, spoke with an accent. When she didn't use that accent in Dissidia…I was pissed. Beyond pissed. Final Fantasy VIII was the first FF game I've ever played.

Mouserocks: Before I address your review I must say…it's interesting how you've been on the site for two years now and still don't have a profile picture. Not bad, just interesting. Huh. Anyhow, yeah, cooperating Chaos warriors. What are the freaking chances? It's because the Emperor actually came up with an epic plan. Well, his last plan was epic, but he didn't have the plot armor. Go figure.

Anyhow, I'm out.

Keelah Se'lai

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	3. The Ultimate Power

And now, shit gets real. There will be a little bit of character development in the beginning, and then it gets…dark.

Right, let me warn everyone before I actually commence writing this chapter. There will be death, and lots of it. Lots of innocents die in this chapter, and this is not for the faint of heart. You've been warned.

* * *

The sound of the alarm blazed through the dark room, breaking the tranquility of the formerly silent room. The girl sleeping restlessly in the bed nearby finally awoke. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she adjusted to the darkness, while in the meantime her hand searched the nearby area for the source of the offending sound.

Claire's hand finally found her alarm clock and pressed the button that would turn it off, plunging the room into silence once more. She sighed irritably, angry for a reason she couldn't define. This wasn't the first time she had woken up like this. In fact, her moods upon waking up usually alternated between anger and depression, depending on how her sleep went.

"I hate school!" she snapped to no one in particular. She got up from the bed and headed to the shower, throwing her nightclothes aside without caring where they landed.

Once inside the bathroom, she flicked the light switch and moved over to the vanity, where she kept all of her accessories, as well as a speaker system that she kept concealed in the cabinets to prevent hot water vapor from damaging it. Caring little for the accessories just yet, Claire hit the play button on the music player in the cabinet and then shut the door again.

Now that the music was playing, Claire felt slightly better about the day. The music she liked to play in the mornings tended to be upbeat rock mainly in the minor key, giving the song that taste of sadness that she could easily identify with.

As the female vocalist began to sing, Claire turned on the shower and stepped inside. She let the hot water cascade down her back, resting her elbow against the wall and supporting her head with that same arm.

She was like this for a few more moments before she finally started to get clean. Usually she was quick about showering, but today something seemed off. She could feel a kind of tension in the air, and it wasn't just because she had school today. Claire had a really bad feeling about today, and she couldn't come up with an idea why.

She was sure that Ray wouldn't bother her, seeing as he had been nearly killed by her impromptu guardian angel. That whole incident was still unbelievable to her. How many teenage girls could say that they had a knight in shining armor come to their rescue when they were in danger? Not many, she was sure.

Claire snapped out of her thoughts and finished cleaning herself, turning off the shower just as the song ended and the next began. This new song was slow and sad. She recalled an AMV she watched once with this song attached to it, and she soon got depressed. Claire changed the song, not because she hated it, but because she now wanted something cheerful.

After a good half an hour, Claire was dressed and ready, wearing nothing but black jeans and a long sleeved black turtleneck. She knew what she was wearing was slightly tomboyish, but the last thing she wanted was male attention, especially after yesterday.

She grabbed a set of headphones from her desk. She normally used them to listen to music while she worked at home, but now she was going to wear them to school. She wasn't sure she'd be able to talk to anyone normally after yesterday, so this was the best way of avoiding unwanted conversation.

Clipping them on her ears and starting up a song, the girl was ready to leave. She stepped out of her apartment and was soon back on the street and heading for school.

On her way there, she passed by her favorite alley, where Exdeath had come to her rescue. Not surprisingly, the whole area was cordoned off by yellow CAUTION tape and surrounded by police cars. Luckily, they let her pass by without incident.

Claire sighed irritably. She really had liked that spot because of its seclusion. It was a shame that it was completely off limits to her now. Though she doubted she could bear going back there now.

* * *

Claire walked through the front gate, noticing that Ray and the others weren't there. She wasn't surprised. Exdeath had given them such a beating, so she doubted they'd be out of the hospital in just one night.

However, she did notice Eric and Rose standing together by the entrance to the school building. She noticed that Eric was still dressed in his tracksuit, and by the beads of sweat still present on his forehead, he had just come from practice.

Claire nearly died of shame when Eric turned his head slightly and noticed her gaze. She immediately turned her head away and turned up her music. She begged inwardly that the teen wouldn't come talk to her. He was too popular for her taste, and she would rather not be talked about just because the track god of the school had said a few words to her.

Unfortunately, Claire noticed that she had to pass by him to get inside. To her shock, Eric had broken off his conversation with Rose and was walking towards her. _Please go away, Eric! Go away! _She thought furiously to herself, her music pounding in her ears. When it became clear to her that he was going to try and engage her in conversation, she grudgingly turned down her music.

"Good morning! You're Claire, right?" Eric spoke cordially to her, falling in step beside her. Her face turned a deep red, and she was glad that her hair covered nearly all of her face. She stumbled over her words a bit as she tried to reply to him. She could already feel the curious and shocked eyes turning to her and Eric, probably wondering why such a popular guy would talk to a girl like her.

Surprisingly, Eric didn't cut across her as she tried to come up with something to say, like everyone else seemed to do. He walked beside her, waiting patiently for her to collect her thoughts. Claire found it rather thoughtful of him. Upon the realization of this, Claire turned an even darker shade of red.

"Yeah…uh…g…good morning…" she finally managed to get out. Claire realized that she sounded like a scared child, and she could have sworn her face had gone up by several degrees. She wasn't used to attention from a guy this high up the social ladder.

"You look wiped. Had a rough night?" Eric smiled when he finally got a response from her, and he didn't waste time in starting a conversation. Claire was completely confused. She didn't know how to answer that question. Yes, she had a rough night, because she was nearly raped and murdered last night and had nightmares about it, but she couldn't exactly tell him that. How would she respond?

"Y…yeah…I guess…" she murmured. Eric took a moment to adjust his short dark hair, as his bangs had been nearing his eyes, before he continued. Her short responses didn't seem to bother him at all.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You see, I can relate, because I spend so much time at the track, I sometimes forget to sleep! But I suspect our reasons for staying up late are completely different. Unless you've been at the track and not been telling me, hm? Ahaha!" Eric laughed at his own little joke, which only served to irritate her. He talked like he understood. He could never understand, and the fact that he acted like he did and made jokes about it made Claire angry.

"M…my…my homeroom is this way," she finally managed to say, pointing a totally different direction from where they were walking. Eric stopped and watched as Claire began to walk the other direction.

"Ah. Well, it was nice talking to you. Ask if you ever need anything, all right?" he called after her politely. Claire felt a little bad about the way she treated him now. He was just being nice. Claire looked over her shoulder to see Rose walking up to her friend with a suspicious look on her face.

"Why were you talking to her?" Rose demanded accusingly. Eric glanced at her in surprise, wondering why her tone was so sharp.

"What, she looked down. Is it so bad to reach out to someone who looks that depressed?" Eric replied. Claire heard this and found that she respected the teen a little more. Despite what popularity usually does to a person, Eric seemed to be nicer than she expected.

"Why, are you jealous?" was Eric's teasing reply after Rose didn't respond. Rose huffed and turned the other way.

"Pfft. As if!" she scoffed, earning a laugh from the dark-haired teen. With that, Claire passed out of earshot.

Now, she was in the hallway where her homeroom was located. Claire turned her music back up and walked into her classroom. She cringed as eyes turned on her at her entrance, and then relaxed when they returned to their respective conversations.

Claire sat in her usual seat and sighed. Today was going to be a long day.

* * *

Homeroom, which was English class for Claire, went as she usually expected. The teacher, who was female and widely considered to be attractive by the male population of the school, arrived late as always for no apparent reason and immediately launched into her lesson. Fortunately, she had read the textbook prior to coming to class, so she knew what the teacher was going to lecture about. Unsurprised, Claire noticed that most of the males in the room were not paying attention to the lecture.

English ended with a small quiz, which Claire was sure she aced. She was getting hungry, since she had gone without breakfast that day. Lunch wasn't for another three periods, so she knew she would be hungry for a while.

Next period was math, or more specifically, Calculus. It was far from an easy class, so Claire was unable to turn up her music. Instead, she had to mute her music and listen hard to the boring male teacher, who really didn't know how to relate to teenagers, and thus made extremely lame jokes through the course of the lecture. Eric was in this class, and to everyone's surprise, he had chosen to sit in the back with Claire, rather than front and center like he usually did. Claire had immediately flushed at the attention his shift had brought to her, and she knew that she would be all over the rumor mill by the end of the day.

The next two periods were Advanced Physics and US History, two classes that she really had trouble with. Her biggest problem was with physics, as it required more math and formulas and manipulation of formulas that had always given her trouble. Eric was also in this class, and he had actually asked to be her partner for the lab today. Claire usually worked alone, so she was shocked beyond belief. She was beginning to grow irritated and flattered at the same time. In combination, those two emotions formed utter confusion. Did he have a crush on her? That was the last thing she wanted. It wasn't that he wasn't attractive, but it was that she didn't want the pressure that such a relationship would put on her.

When US history let out for lunch, Claire was still thinking about it. She would probably trip over her tongue and then swallow it if the track god walked up to her and actually asked her out. She would probably turn him down, however. She had too much to do involving school and her own personal projects. She didn't want to have to go out of her way to please someone, and she certainly didn't want the gossip and disgusting rumors that would no doubt circulate upon the conception of such a relationship.

Claire shook her head furiously, wondering why she was still agonizing over something that probably wasn't even true. She turned up her music until she could no longer hear the murmurs of her schoolmates around her.

Finally, it was lunchtime, her favorite part of the day besides art class. It gave her time to be alone and gather her thoughts. She usually sat alone in the corner of the courtyard with her self-created lunch that she always prepared the night before.

Claire walked through the doorway into the large courtyard, where hundreds of students were already gathering. The school had two main lunch periods, so that half of the students in the school would eat while the others learned, and then it would switch after the first lunch period. Claire had a good hour before her lunch period ended, and she intended to use it to read a book she had been in the middle of the other day.

She walked down the aisle, ignoring the curious stares of the people she passed. She reached the table in the very back corner of the courtyard, and froze when she saw that someone else was already sitting there. It was Eric.

The dark-haired teen noticed her approach and her flashed her a quick smile. He noticed her freeze in her tracks and horror fill her eyes, and he looked alarmed. Eric stood up and walked towards her, and noticed when she edged away from him.

"Hey…did I do something wrong?" he questioned, with a hurt look in his eyes. Claire suddenly felt terrible for hesitating as she was. Eric, whether he liked her or not, was trying to cheer her up, and her trepidation was doing nothing but making him feel that his efforts were backfiring.

"N…no…" Claire managed to get out. She squeaked when Eric moved slightly closer. "It's…that's…my usual table."

"I know it's your usual table. I thought sitting alone might be depressing, so I thought I'd join you," Eric explained. Claire watched as the teen scanned the only visible part of her face, looking for her response. She flushed under the attention.

"O…ok.." she finally said. Eric broke out into one of his rare smiles and sat down back at the table, and she did the same, sitting opposite him.

They ate in silence for a bit, though Claire was trying even harder than usual to eat neatly. She was a lot more self-conscious for some reason, which was saying something, considering how self-conscious she usually is.

"Why…why are you here with me? Don't…you usually sit with Rose?" Claire finally asked curiously. Eric looked up from his meal, and for the first time, Claire noticed that he too wore earphones underneath his dark hair. Perhaps they weren't all that different…

"Usually, but today she wanted to sit with her girlfriends," Eric explained. Claire nodded, though she still didn't understand why he chose to sit with HER of all people. She was a nobody in this school. The contrast between the two of them was extreme.

"You're some popular track guy. Why did you sit with _me?" _Claire repeated her thoughts to him, managing to break past her stammer. This was something that usually happened when she really wanted answers, or was really angry. This definitely got Eric's attention. The teen gazed at her silently for a moment, as if trying to come up with an answer she would accept.

"Honestly? You remind me of a girl I used to know. And it kills me to see you looking so down all the time," he confessed. Claire blinked, forgetting to breathe for a moment. She wasn't sure whether to be flattered or irritated that she could be compared to someone else.

"Someone special to you?" Claire finally said. Eric went silent, and he looked down at the table.

"Yeah. She's gone now," he clarified. An awkward silence commenced between them. Claire was trying to fit his words together in her mind. He talked to her all of a sudden because she reminded him of someone he loved, but this person was dead or inaccessible now. She guessed that this person was dead due to Eric's reaction to her second question. That didn't really make her feel special at all. It just seemed like he was trying to cheer her up to atone for his past mistakes. She wouldn't fall for that.

Or maybe she was overanalyzing things since she read too much manga. Go figure.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled, her gaze dropping down to the surface of the table.

They ate lunch in silence for a good ten minutes after that. Claire didn't know what to say after a confession like that.

However, these mundane thoughts soon became the least of her worries.

It began with an increase in the volume of the chatter in the courtyard. Claire grew annoyed with the noise, and reached her hand down to her music player.

That's when she saw Eric drop his fork and gaze ahead in barely concealed shock, almost at the same time as Claire began to hear the sound of metal hitting concrete.

She recognized that noise instantly, and her blood ran cold. Here? How…why…? Why was…? Claire turned her head, her eyes wide with shock and fear.

"What the fuck?" Eric gasped as he gazed at the spectacle before him. Claire broke out into a cold sweat as she watched the massive figure that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Standing tall in the center of the courtyard was no other than Exdeath. The armored warrior was casting his gaze across the courtyard, looking for something. Claire was all too certain as to what he was looking for.

"No…!" Claire gasped softly. Eric heard her and gazed at her questioningly. "Not here! No!"

"What? What is it? Do you know that guy?" Eric demanded. Claire nodded breathlessly.

Exdeath began to walk through the courtyard, attracting the attention of everyone in the courtyard. Claire could hear people attempting to rationalize who the warrior was, and some people were even foolish enough to call out to him.

"Who the hell are you?"

"What's with that getup?"

"Is there an anime convention nearby or something?"

These were some of the things Claire could hear people saying. Exdeath ignored them all and walked ever forward, until he finally turned his head and rested his gaze directly upon Claire.

"Uh…why is he looking at you? Better question, why is he coming this way?!" Eric questioned, his voice rising in pitch, betraying his worry. Claire stood up and backed away. That was all Eric needed to realize that the warrior's presence was something the girl didn't want. The teen stood up and walked towards Exdeath, who was nearing their table.

"Eric! No!" Claire called after him. Exdeath stopped as Eric blocked his path, gazing down at the teen with an air of irritation about him.

"You are in the way, mortal," Exdeath informed Eric, gesturing with his hand to a place that Eric should move to. The teen didn't move.

"Cut that 'mortal' crap out. This is a school, not an anime convention," Eric snapped. Claire gasped and covered her eyes, not wanting to watch what Exdeath would do to him. "And I'm not moving until you tell me what you want with Claire."

"Is this something from the Improv club?"

"Seems like they are acting…"

"Wow, they are really good!"

These were some of the things that could be heard around their location from the other students. They were watching the exchange with interest, mistakenly believing that all was right with the world.

Exdeath regarded the teen in silence for a few moments. Then, the warrior laughed harshly. Eric's eyes widened as the warrior's hand moved back, and then swung forward in a backhand. Claire, who was peeking from between her hands, was shocked when Eric ducked under the attack, and then moved backwards, repeating his question.

"You are less incompetent than the rest of your kind, mortal," Exdeath complimented the teen, still not answering his question. "I suppose that I do not need the girl this very moment."

"Exdeath, wait!" Claire called out, rushing past the surprised Eric and moving up to the warrior, who had begun moving back towards the center of the courtyard. Exdeath halted in place and turned halfway so that he would watch the girl run up to him. "You need to go. This is in the middle of the school! You can't let them all know what you are."

"What are you talking about, Claire?" Eric spoke, completely confused. Things were sounding awfully strange to the teen, and he was beginning to grow uneasy.

"I realize where I am, mortal. I have business to conclude here, business that you are required for," Exdeath told her in his deep voice. Claire took a step back, confused, and a little worried. What was the warrior going to do?

As the entire courtyard watched, Exdeath returned to the center of the courtyard. Then, he held out his palm, an orb of light growing there. Claire gasped and clapped both hands to her mouth.

However, the rest of the students, according to their whisperings and mutterings, seemed to view the display as a special effect, and were watching entranced. The warrior suddenly thrust his fist into the air, firing the orb in a straight path upwards.

Once the orb had ascended a good distance above the school, it exploded extravagantly, a spectacle that Claire was sure that the entire city could see. The students clapped and cheered, obviously believing the explosion to be a fireworks display.

"Exdeath, stop!" Claire begged of the warrior, running up to him and grabbing on to his arm. The warrior, without even looking at her, shook her off, the force sending her flying backwards.

Eric rushed forward and caught her before she could hit the wall, but it didn't stop the girl from crying out from the impact. Even Eric was winded. What kind of strength did this Exdeath guy have if he could toss a person that forcefully?

That's when, on the eastern side of the courtyard, the doors that led to the outside opened up to reveal three imposing figures, each of which Claire had never seen. However, according to their dress, Claire could guess that they were some of Exdeath's comrades.

The first one to walk – or rather, prance- into the courtyard, was a deranged looking clown wearing every color of the rainbow. He danced up to Exdeath and put on an equally ridiculous smile.

"Well would you LOOK at THAT!? Hundreds of little morsels all over the place! I just want to _burn this place to the ground,_" the clown declared in a crazy sounding voice that constantly fluctuated in pitch.

Around that moment, the students began to get uneasy. The murmurings of worry and discontent began to rise.

"Control yourself, you insufferable harlequin," Exdeath demanded, not looking at the clown. The next two people to enter the clearing were less ridiculous looking, but still scared Claire beyond words.

One was heavy armored and was dragging a large triangular sword behind him, while the other was a very effeminate looking man dressed in very little but robes. White orbs of light circled around the latter constantly.

"This is the place?" the knight asked bluntly. Exdeath nodded mutely, while the other man began flying – much to Claire's shock – through the courtyard with a grin on his face.

"Ah, the audience watches with bated breath as the star arrives. How lovely, no?" he questioned, using a theatre metaphor that sounded awfully conceited to Claire.

"Claire, what the fuck is going on? You know this guy, so tell me something!" Eric demanded. Claire could do nothing but shake her head, a frightened look plastered to her face.

Rose dashed across the courtyard, heading for Eric. Exdeath watched her pass, but did little to stop her. When she reached Eric, she shoved her way past Claire.

"Eric…please tell me you know what's going on?" she cried in fear. Eric could do little but shake his head, completely clueless.

The arrival of the three strange figures was enough to cause several of the students to pack up their stuff and attempt to leave. Despite their effort, none of them were able to get out. The second the first student reached one of the doors, every single door in the entire courtyard closed slammed shut with a bang.

Complete silence fell over the students as they suddenly began to realize that they were involved in something far beyond their comprehension. This was cemented when an exotic looking woman walked right through the wall next to Claire, the bricks shimmering like water around her entry point. The girl jumped in shock, gaining the woman's attention.

The exotic woman, dressed in a revealing red robe and possessing black wings on her back, reached forward and ran a hand along the frightened Claire's cheek.

"So beautiful…what a shame," she murmured dulcetly, completely confusing everyone who overheard the exchange. A feeling of foreboding began to encompass Claire's consciousness.

* * *

Ultimecia walked past the scared girl that was their catalyst. A confident smile crossed the witch's face as she reveled in the frightened and confused gazes that rested upon her. She even seemed to enjoy the occasional lust-filled gazes directed at her, despite their situation.

"I'm BORED! All this waiting around without _murdering _anyone is starting to get on my nerves!" Kefka complained loudly. A murmur of shock and worry circulated through the students at this statement.

"Dear Kefka, please cease from spoiling the climax so soon, when the prologue has barely begun," Kuja beseeched the mad clown, who just stuck his tongue out at the floating mage. Garland scoffed and ignored them as he waited impatiently for everyone else.

That's when the brick walls closest to the outside world exploded outwards, broken into pieces by some massive force. The wanton destruction caused the nearest students to panic and dash to the other side of the courtyard in fright, where a select few began tugging on the doors, only to find them shut tightly.

"Couldn't you have locked the damn doors AFTER I got inside? Fucking inconsiderate harlot…" Jecht snapped irritably, stepping over the destruction caused by one punch from his heavily muscled arms. He walked over to the gathering of warriors, ignoring the venom filled glance cast in his direction from Ultimecia.

"Time!" the witch declared, pointing at the broken wall with the palm of her hand. To everyone's shock, the rubble reversed its path and fitted itself back into the broken wall, until there was no sign of there ever being a hole.

"So who's this girl we're looking for?" Jecht questioned, walking past a group of girls that were whispering worriedly among themselves. Exdeath pointed silently directly at Claire, who was cowering against the wall with Eric and Rose standing in front of her.

Jecht walked over to the three, who immediately took a step back from him. The man scoffed in disbelief.

"Oh come on, I didn't even bring my weapon. What the hell are you worried about?" he snapped. Eric and Rose responded by stepping in front of Claire protectively. "Oh son of a…"

"God, can't a guy introduce himself without being treated like some evil demon thing?" Jecht demanded of the three. They looked suspicious, but allowed him to continue.

"Jecht…" Ultimecia began, but the warrior cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I know, I know. Leave me be. Fucking witch," the man complained. Then, Jecht extended his hand forward. "The name's Jecht."

"Jecht, you're only wasting your…" Garland tried to interrupt, but Jecht didn't take too kindly to that either.

"Would you keep your damn mouth shut and let me at least _try _to act civilized?" the man growled at the knight. The other warriors of Chaos gazed at him in surprise at the way he addressed one of the strongest members of their impromptu team. Garland just growled and turned the other way.

"I suppose. It seems the Emperor is taking his time, as usual," Garland relented. Jecht huffed and re-offered his hand to the teens. Eric finally mustered up the courage and took it.

"My name is Eric. This is Rose, and that's Claire. Who the hell are you guys?" Eric demanded. Jecht grinned and shook Eric's hand roughly. Eric's eyes widened at the incredible latent strength behind the man's handshake.

Jecht didn't bother answering that question. However, he did turn his head to see yet another warrior of Chaos appear in the courtyard. To everyone's surprise, the Cloud of Darkness faded into view. The warriors of Chaos already present acknowledged her presence with nods.

The students were beginning to rise from their seats, panic starting to set in. They were trapped in the courtyard with no way out with an assortment of people who could perform acts the likes of which they'd never seen. Claire was hyperventilating at this point. Eric heard her struggling to breathe, so he knelt down and held the poor girl in his arms, trying to calm her down. Rose, rather than being jealous as she had been earlier that day, stood over the both of them in an attempt to protect them from whatever these warriors planned to do.

There was a flash of light near Exdeath, and then the man himself appeared. Emperor Mateus strode into the center of the courtyard, standing next to Exdeath. Behind him appeared Sephiroth, manifesting in a swirl of dark feathers that scattered out from his leather-clad form.

Mateus glanced around the clearing, casting his gaze across the petrified students. A cool smile of approval graced his lips.

"Gentlemen, it appears that everyone is here. Shall we begin the ritual?" The Emperor asked smoothly. He sat down elegantly in midair, crossing one of his legs over the other and resting his cheek on his fist. His bladed staff floated in the air just in front of him, rotating slowly and crackling with power.

"Wait a minute…where's that clanky guy…uh what's his face…Golbez?" Jecht demanded. The other warriors of Chaos looked around. Sure enough, there was no sign of the powerful black mage. The Emperor frowned at that point and gazed at Jecht with a fierce glint in his eyes.

"Golbez did not wish to aid us, so he was left behind," Mateus clarified simply. Jecht gulped. For what he knew about the Emperor, Golbez was likely dead, at least for that cycle.

"Can we start killing now?! I'm getting AWFULLY impatient!" Kefka demanded, dancing around the Emperor obnoxiously. Mateus didn't bother to follow the clown with his eyes, but did not reply at first.

"As you know, gentlemen, the sigil I have drawn will not activate without a significant amount of life force," the Emperor reminded everyone. The students began to get a terrible inkling of what exactly was in store for them. "Begin the harvest at your leisure."

Sephiroth wasted no time in drawing Masamune from its place at his side. The warrior dashed forward faster than any of the students could follow, and sheathed his blade deep in the torso of the first male student. Every watched in shock as blood spouted from the gasping student. The teen placed his hands on Sephiroth's blade as if trying to pull it out of him. Then, he let his last breath loose and fell limp on the warrior's blade.

That's when all hell broke loose. The students, upon seeing one of their number brutally murdered, scattered all over the place, screaming and running in aimless directions.

"Where do they think they are going? There's nowhere to run!" Garland scoffed. The knight shifted his multiform sword into an axe and slammed it into the torso of a hapless student that had run too close to him. The poor teen was propelled into the wall and fell to the ground, not rising again.

"EYAHAHAHAHAAH! DEATH AND CARNAGE!" Kefka screamed out his pleasure to the air, and released powerful Flare and Holy magic into the screaming crowd of victims, incinerating anyone unlucky enough to get hit by it. The clown danced happily through the crowd, annihilating anyone in his path with his powerful magic.

"This…this is a massacre!" Eric roared aloud, anger evident in his voice. Before Rose or Claire could stop him, the teen rushed forward and assaulted the nearest enemy, which happened to be Jecht.

"Whoa kid!" Jecht chuckled, deflecting each of Eric's attacks easily. Eric brought his fist forward recklessly, trying to hit Jecht in the face. Jecht casually brought a hand up and moved the punch aside, just as Eric followed up with a skilled kick.

Jecht sighed and decided that he had to put this to an end so the Emperor wouldn't single him out later. The warrior leapt backwards and brought his hand forward, summoning his inner power.

"Take this!" Jecht roared, and a wave of reddish orange energy burst forth from that simple motion. The energy spiraled forward and collided with Eric, whose eyes bugged out from the shock and pain, and he was blasted backwards into the wall. He slammed into the brick, the impact causing the wall to crack. Eric rebounded off of the wall and hit the ground, clearly unconscious, but still alive. Rose screamed in anguish and tried to run to him, but Jecht appeared in front of her and hammered his fist into her stomach several times in an instant, causing the girl to fall the ground, rolling through the grass until she hit the wall. Rose coughed weakly, spitting out blood. She tried to rise, but she fell back down and passed out, unable to keep herself conscious.

"Huh. They ain't dead. Oh well," Jecht muttered to himself. Claire was frozen to the spot with shock and disbelief. She thought she was having a nightmare and wanted nothing more than to look away, but all she could see were her schoolmates dying in scores around her, slaughtered by the comrades of the knight she once considered her ally.

"Exdeath! STOP THIS!" Claire screamed at the warrior, but she gasped loudly when she saw Exdeath's golden sword slashing and cutting students to pieces, while the warrior himself stood still and laughed. She sobbed, realizing that Exdeath had never truly cared for her as he had seemed to. It was just an act, and act that led up to this horrible ritual.

As more and more students died, the ground of courtyard began to glow. Claire was shocked to see some sort of strange symbol beginning to form. The more that died, the brighter the glow got. Eventually, she could make out a strange pentacle. It consisted of a circle, with a figure resembling a star in the center. Unlike the usual stars, which had anywhere from five to ten points, there were scores of points on this star. From each of these points, straight lines fed back into the very center of the pentacle, where a large eye was drawn half open.

From the points of the large star, beams of light began to shoot into the air, where dark clouds were forming. Within the dark clouds, lightning sparked into existence.

The Emperor remained still, near the center of the pentacle. He watched the carnage with a small smile. This smile widened as he watched the sigil he had worked so hard to set up began to near completion.

Mateus's eyes flicked to a random student that was running towards him, a desperate look in his eyes and a defiant cry coming from his mouth. Clenched in the teen's hand was a small knife provided by the cafeteria. It was a pathetic attempt at a counterassault, but it seemed the student was intent on causing some damage before he died.

The Emperor smirked, slightly amused. He slowly brought his hand forward, a perfect orb of purple energy forming there. He gently pushed the orb forwards. The orb sailed through the air slowly, and the student unwittingly rushed right into it.

The orb, which was actually one of the Emperor's dangerous mines, exploded upon contact, blowing the poor teen into bits, his blood spattering the ground and serving to power the sigil further.

"Ugh, all this killing bothers me. I wish they'd at least fight back," Jecht complained to himself. He didn't dare raise his voice, however. If the Emperor heard his unwillingness to do the killing himself, he had no doubt that there would be repercussions.

"Please…" came Claire's voice. Jecht suddenly felt the girl clamp onto his arm. He turned to see her staring up at him with her dark eyes wide, her hair out of her face for the first time since he'd seen her. "Stop this. I…I can't bear it anymore!"

Jecht's eyes softened as he gazed at her. She was so innocent, not unlike his son when he was younger. He sighed, but he couldn't do what she asked.

"No can do, missy. As much as this shit bothers me, its gotta be done," he replied. She didn't take it very well.

"WHY?! WHY CAN'T YOU STOP THEM?!" Claire screamed at him shrilly. She released his arm and started pounding on Jecht's chest furiously. The attacks were nothing to the man. All he felt was a mild impact wherever she hit, and he sighed again, wishing there was some other way for the Emperor to get his wish.

Kuja sailed above the running students, bombing them with powerful blasts of Holy magic that detonated upon impact, slaughtering scores of the hapless teens.

"Fear not, the finale has yet to arrive!" the mage cried gleefully. Beneath him, swerving in between the explosions, the Cloud of Darkness annihilated everyone in her path with her powerful particle beams.

As the killing continued, the sigil underneath them all grew ever brighter. The beams of light emanating from the points of the star grew wider and wider, reaching up into the atmosphere and through the dark layer of clouds that had now covered the sky, blocking out the sunlight.

The last student finally fell to Sephiroth's blade. The warrior kicked the corpse off of Masamune, not saying a word. Silence fell in the courtyard, broken by nothing except for Claire's despair stricken crying.

The poor girl was screaming out her cries of sorrow and betrayal as she gazed at the carnage. She was on her knees, rendered unable to stand by her shock.

The Emperor regarded the bloody carnage with distaste. It was not the first time he had seen so much blood and gore in one place, but it wasn't something someone as elegant as him should be spending a lot of time around. However, his plan was nearly complete.

"Now, for the catalyst," Mateus declared. Claire barely noticed as all of the warriors of Chaos began gazing at her. The Emperor walked towards her slowly. Once the regal man entered her peripheral vision, she looked up at him, tears running down her cheeks.

"N…no…get…get away! GET AWAY!" she shouted, as if her yells would make the man disappear. The Emperor smirked. When the man finally reached her, he bent down and grabbed her by her neck. Claire choked, and began struggling to breathe.

She struggled in the man's clutches, but his grip was impossible strong. No matter how much she squirmed, it served only to restrict her breathing further, while Mateus's fingers did not move even a millimeter.

Mateus lifted her up and moved back towards the center of the massive sigil, where the life force of half of the student body lay ready. When he reached it, he threw Claire down into the eye that marked the exact center of the pentacle.

As she struggled to regain her breath, she suddenly found herself rooted in place. Claire stood up in shock, but she couldn't move at all. She was stuck exactly in the center of the sigil.

The energy focused at each of the points of the star ceased shooting into the air, and instead shot down the lines towards the center, where they collided with Claire's body.

Claire screamed in pain, and her body began shifting. She felt…odd. They only way she could describe how she was feeling at this point was…hazy. It was like she had suddenly lowered in density. Her body soon began to feel light, and when she looked down, she saw that she could see right through herself.

"What's…what's going on?!" she cried out. Her body began to glow brightly, and she felt it hard to remain conscious. Her vision began to narrow, and stars danced just in front of her.

"So it begins. Gentlemen, if you would?" Mateus orders calmly, watching Claire's pain with indifference.

Garland was the first to step forward. He regarded the screaming girl silently, and he walked towards her slowly. He lifted his sword and reverted it back to its original form.

"With this…I shall make my dreams come true…" the knight whispered, and he stepped…into Claire.

Claire saw the knight somehow walk into her, and then she suddenly felt the presence of another in her consciousness. She could hear all of Garland's thoughts, and she could feel her own being beaten down. She fought mentally to remain conscious. Her body was now completely white, giving off light like a sun.

"We shall become one with everything…" The Cloud of Darkness declared, and then she too merged with Claire's form. The girl screamed again, suddenly feeling two entities of immense power inside of herself, their thoughts clashing and intertwining with her own, until she could no longer distinguish between them. At that moment, Claire ceased to exist, and was replaced by…something else.

Glowing red eyes appeared in the mass of white that was now Claire. Exdeath, who was the next to go, walked up to the mass.

"I shall submit myself to Eternity," the armored warrior said, and he joined with the mass of light, causing it to expand and explode outwards.

"This had better be good, Mr. Emperor. I'm looking FORWARD to endless DESTRUCTION!" Kefka warned Mateus, who merely motioned towards the light with his head. The clown scoffed and skipped into the light.

Sephiroth fused with the mass of light without a word, followed by Ultimecia. Kuja was next to fly into the light, which only grew larger with every individual that passed into it. That left only Jecht and the Emperor in the corpse-ridden courtyard.

"With this, you brat, you'll be free from me forever," Jecht muttered to himself, and he dived into the light.

The Emperor was left alone in the field, gazing at the light that was beckoning to him. A smile crossed his face, and he laughed aloud at his victory.

"The ultimate power…it is mine!" Mateus announced, and he walked into the light, finishing the ritual.

The light suddenly shrunk to a tiny point, and it remained like that for a few seconds, and then it erupted forth with sheer power.

A column of the whitest light exploded upwards into the dark sky, lighting up the entire city with the intensity of its glow. Upon reaching the cloud layer, the light evaporated the dark clouds closest to it and continued upwards through the stratosphere and beyond.

The citizens of the city that were milling about in the streets stopped wherever they were and looked up at the incredible spectacle that shone down upon them with its malevolent light.

* * *

The doors to the courtyard burst open, smashed in by the battering ram of a heavily armed SWAT team. Scores of fully outfitted men swarmed into the clearing with weapons aimed at the huge pillar of light streaming into the air.

"What the hell?" a soldier grunted in disbelief. He lowered his weapon and gazed at the light, entranced by its sinister brilliance.

"This is terrible…" another soldier murmured, stepping over the eviscerated bodies of the students. "They had their whole lives ahead of them."

"Captain, what do we do?" this last line was spoken by the soldier standing at the front, who was just next to another soldier that had a yellow armband on to signify his rank.

"There's nothing we CAN do until that damned lightshow dies down!" the captain snapped back. The first soldier nodded. The SWAT team surrounded the roaring pillar of light, waiting for the first sign of hostile activity.

When the light finally dimmed down, the sigil on the ground faded away as well, leaving everything as it should be. Well, everything would have been as it should have been if the menacing orb of light in the center of the field wasn't there.

Shocked, the soldiers watched in silence as the orb slowly began to reform into the shape of a man.

The light eventually coalesced into the shape of Emperor Mateus, color returning to the whiteness. Ambient light emanated from the Emperor's new body. Although completely new, Mateus looked nearly identical to his former self, save the glowing veins of blue light and the demonic black eyes that seemed to suck the very light out of the air.

"The hell is that?!" The captain shouted in shock. "Surround it! Move!"

The SWAT team did as they were ordered, surrounding the Emperor on all sides and leveling their rifles at him.

"Fire upon my command!" the captain continued. The Emperor turned his omnipotent gaze upon the mortals before him, and he let out a scornful laugh.

"It is time for me to assert my dominance upon this world. I shall begin with you," Mateus declared, turning towards the soldiers. "You will be an excellent test of my new powers."

"Hostile confirmed! Open fire!" the captain roared. The men immediately pulled the triggers on their rifles, the muzzles flashing and spitting forth hot metal at the omnipotent being before them.

The Emperor laughed derisively and twirled in midair, a barrier of pale yellow light surrounding him and blocking all of the bullets that headed his direction. Each bullet left nothing more than a small ripple upon the barrier.

"W…what is that?! It's…it's blocking all the bullets?!" A soldier cried out in shock.

"Exdeath's barriers are indeed powerful. Now allow me to test out the Cloud's power…" Mateus spoke, half to himself. He then flared out his arms, exploding the barrier outwards. The barrier transformed into powerful black and purple particle beams as thick as buses, spreading out in all directions.

The soldiers were completely unprepared for this kind of counterattack, and those unlucky enough to come into contact with one of the beams were immediately fried into oblivion, leaving nothing but their skeletons behind.

The Emperor followed up his first fearsome attack by summoning hundreds upon hundreds of glowing swords made of his own magical energy and hurling them down upon the remaining soldiers.

The captain gasped in shock, his weapon to his side as his men were impaled or gutted by the Emperor's power. Then, pain exploded in his middle, and he looked down to see one of the magical swords sticking out of him, his life's blood oozing from the wound in streams. He dropped his weapon and fell to his knees, his eyes staring at the Emperor.

The captain grunted in surprise when he suddenly rose into the air, courtesy of the Emperor's new power. Mateus manipulated the man with his hand, bringing the dying soldier forward until his black eyes were gazing into the captain's.

"Know this, human, as you head to the afterlife. You were lucky enough to be personally killed by this world's new ruler," Mateus asserted with an evil grin on his face. The captain only gurgled in response, blood spilling out of his mouth. The Emperor then incinerated the poor man with a powerful Flare, until the ashen remains floated to the ground and settled there.

With the last of his opposition wiped out, the Emperor zoomed into the air and flew into the distance, one objective on his mind.

The complete domination of this new world.

* * *

Over in the burned and bloodied courtyard, a burned and half-dead form stirred. There was a cough, and then another. Ash slid off of the rising form, revealing his handsome face and empty eyes.

Eric was not dead. The student climbed to his feet and viewed the courtyard, his back and skin aching. His eyes widened with horror when he laid eyes on the pure devastation of his school. He fell to his knees, ignoring the pain that exploded through said joints just by doing so.

"They…everyone's dead…" he wheezed, and then he coughed, clouds of ash coming from his mouth as he did so. "No…they can't all be dead…someone…"

Eric turned around wildly, desperately looking for survivors of the catastrophe. When he found no one, he looked up at the sky and screamed out his pain.

When his yell finally died down, he heard the sound of someone stirring. Eric whipped around to see his friend, Rose, coughing weakly on the ground. He gasped in relief and ran over to her, scooping the recovering girl up in his arms and hugging her tightly, tears running down his cheeks.

"Thank…thank God you're alive!" Eric cried shamelessly, squeezing the girl tightly. Rose coughed, and she realized who was hugging her. She hugged him back weakly.

"Is it over?" she whispered weakly as she gazed across the carnage that was strewn throughout the courtyard. Eric nodded. "I…I can't believe it…how did this happen?!"

"Claire…where's Claire?!" Eric demanded suddenly. He released Rose and stood up, looking around for any sign of the girl he had chosen to spend to with that day. Rose helped him look, but none of them were able to discover any sign of the raven-haired girl.

"I don't see her…do you think she got away?" Rose asked, and then she went into a coughing fit as her body fought to expel the soot from within her lungs. Eric wiped his reddening eyes, the ash in the air still settling.

"I hope so…I'd like to believe that I at least saved her," he whispered. He pounded a fist into the ground in anger. He was angry at those strange people that had murdered nearly everyone he ever cared about. He was even angrier at himself, for not being able to stop them. "Why did this happen?!"

That's when the two began to hear static, and the sound of someone speaking. They followed the sound see a walkie-talkie on the ground, barely functioning.

"Captain Ghain, come in. Captain, do you read me?" the voice spoke. Eric realized that this must be the authorities, and they had no idea what had happened here.

"Come on. We've got to let them know what happened here," Rose pressed. Eric nodded slowly and walked painfully over to the walkie-talkie and picked it up. He pressed the talk button and brought it to his mouth.

"I'm…I'm sorry, but the captain is dead…" Eric began, and then he released the button to give the man on the other side a chance to talk back.

"…Roger that. May I ask who's speaking?" the voice responded. Eric gulped and pressed the button again.

"I'm Eric, a student here. The men…the men you sent are all dead. If you can send me an ambulance, we can tell you what happened…" Eric replied haltingly. Once he release the button, there was a long silence from the other end.

"Understood. Eric, I want you to stay there. We're sending you help immediately. It's going to be okay," the voice ordered. Eric nodded, though he doubted he'd ever get over this.

"You think they'll believe us?" Rose questioned, standing by Eric's side. Eric looked down, a frown plastered on his face.

"I doubt it." Eric admitted, putting the communication device down and standing back up. He looked up at the dark sky. Thunder rumbled throughout the storm clouds above them.

A light rain began to fall from above, drenching Eric and Rose. They found the downpour refreshing, especially when the ash and soot began flowing off of them.

"That man…the Emperor…" Eric finally said. His eyes narrowed in determination. "I'm going to make him pay for what he did here."

The two friends stood side by side in the falling rain, gazing in silence at the bodies of their former schoolmates.

* * *

And there, I'm done. The Emperor has his ultimate power, and he attained it by fusing with all of the villains, except for Golbez. He can utilize all of their powers, as you saw. So far, he has used Exdeath's Omni-block, Cloud Of Darkness's 0-form particle beam, and Ultimecia's Knight Sword.

In the next chapter, the war begins.

However, I'm worried about the quality of this chapter. I could use a beta, if anyone wants to help out. Benefits are reading the chapter earlier than everyone else XD

Justyoumi: I'm glad to see you are repeatedly reviewing this story. I love people like that XD But yes, Claire is an OC, and now she's gone. She was there for the soul purpose of being the catalyst for the fusion. She will show up later in mind sequences, as will the other villains. They aren't gone for good.

fadedsolitude28: Why thank you, good sir. Love the profile picture, by the way. Epic Emperor is Epic.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	4. The Age of Demons

Time passed slowly for the two teens. It had only been a few minutes since Eric had finished talking to the man over the radio, yet he felt like he had been standing in the rain for an eternity.

Eric winced, suddenly becoming aware of the pain that encompassed his body. In the spot where Jecht's strange attack had collided with him, pain throbbed repeatedly. Whenever he tried to move overmuch, the pain turned stinging, which told him that he likely had some broken ribs.

Eric turned his head to look at Rose. A quick inspection showed him that she was injured more severely than he was. He could see blood seeping down from between her lips and mixing with the rain, so that it flowed down to mix with the crimson puddles that grew increasingly larger as more and more water filled the courtyard. The rain only grew heavier.

Emotionally, Eric was a wreck. His expression was empty, his gaze haunted. He began to feel detached, almost as if everything he was seeing was happening to someone else. It didn't seem possible that everything that he ever thought was normal could be shattered in less than an hour.

He heard doors opening around him, but he couldn't bring himself to look away from the carnage that spread out before him. He could hear people shouting frantically at him, splashing through the courtyard to reach him. He began to feel lethargic. Even as the newly arrived policemen clutched at his body and tried to move him, Eric didn't react. Not even when they began shouting in his ear did he respond to them.

Before he knew it, strange men in white suits had managed to lever him onto a stretcher, so that he was now facing the sky. Rain pattered on his upturned face, streaming down his cheeks to form puddles on the stretcher. He felt sleepy all of a sudden. Unable to give more than a feeble attempt to stay awake, Eric's eyes closed shut, and soon the voices around him faded away to nothing.

* * *

After what seemed like a long time, Eric finally felt himself returning to consciousness. The memory of the incident crashed down upon him, and tears began to slowly ooze out from beneath his closed eyes.

He cracked his eyes open, and immediately wished he hadn't. Bright light streamed down onto him, blinding him. Wincing and gasping at the sudden sensation, Eric covered his eyes with a hand. He felt something tugging on his arm as he moved it.

Once his eyes had adjusted to the light, Eric finally opened them fully to take in his surroundings. He was staring at a white ceiling, with fluorescent lights dotting its surface every few feet. He could hear a rhythmic beeping in the background.

Eric lifted his head and looked down on himself, only to see something not unlike a horror movie. He was lying on a bed, with most of his body tightly wrapped in bandages. He could also feel a pain in his right arm, so he looked so see himself hooked up into an IV. That gave him enough information to deduce that he was in the hospital. It didn't surprise him, considering how much damage he had taken from Jecht.

He let his head fall back into the pillow. He didn't feel as odd as he had earlier, but he couldn't help but feel depressed. This was a different depression than what he normally felt, as this was as a result of the immense loss of life in that cursed school. He began to feel nauseated, images of the dead teens flashing in his mind.

Eric lifted his head again when he heard the door to the room open with a creak. A older man dressed in a stark white lab coat strode into the room, accompanied by a middle-aged woman holding a clipboard. The first thing the man did was say something to the woman in a hushed tone. The woman nodded smartly and started up the computer located on the counter on the opposite side of the room from Eric's bed.

The man positioned himself in front of Eric's bed, gazing at the readings displayed by the many machines that the teen was hooked up to. Eric saw the man nod to himself. He was clearly satisfied. Eric began to grow annoyed when he was shown no attention, so he cleared his throat impatiently. The man's response was instantaneous.

"Good, you're awake," he replied in an offhand tone. Eric's annoyance grew, as it sounded like the man could care less whether he lived or died. "It would have been most unfortunate if you had died."

"…and why is that?" Eric growled softly. He was astonished at the venom in his tone. Usually he was more jovial than this. He guessed that he had been altered more than he thought by the incident. Losing nearly everyone he ever knew tended to do that.

"If you had died, then your father would more than likely demand that your body be returned. That would deprive me the chance of fully examining the rather…unique injuries inflicted on you," the man continued. "Oh, and I should probably introduce myself. I am Dr. Hinter, head researcher from the Magistrate's Court."

Eric's jaw dropped, both in shock at his identity and in disgust at his motivations. Even he had heard of Dr. Hinter. The doctor was one of the most intelligent and influential figures in the government, second only to the Magistrate himself. What was someone this important doing tending to a simple teenager like himself? What was so urgent that it made Dr. Hinter of all people personally travel across the entire country just to see him?

"I see you've heard of me. That saves me some time," the doctor spoke. Eric composed himself, replacing his shocked look with one of disgust. The doctor didn't care about his well-being, only the wounds on his body.

"Why are you here? The Court is all the way in Nieman. That's thousands of miles away," Eric demanded. Normally he would have shown respect to such an important figure, but he really didn't think that mattered right now. Dr. Hinter gave an eerie little chuckle.

"Foolish child. That little spectacle at your school was seen from all over the country. Of course I'd be interested to come myself," the doctor explained in a condescending manner. Eric clamped his mouth shut in annoyance at the way he was treated. Eric wasn't quite sure what the doctor was talking about. He had been unconscious through most of the incident, and all he had seen was the carnage afterwards. Anyhow, that didn't matter. Eric had one pressing question on his mind.

"Where's Rose? Is she all right?" he snapped questions at the doctor, who adopted a look of impatience at the change of subject.

"I'm more interested in what happened. Why don't you tell me exactly what happened in that courtyard?" Dr. Hinter waved aside his questions like they didn't matter. Eric's expression darkened, his brow tightening and his eyes narrowing.

"I'm not telling you shit until I know Rose is okay." Eric knew he was taking a huge risk by defying the doctor. If he so chose, all Dr. Hinter had to do was give one off-hand comment about Eric to the Magistrate, and he would be screwed. The Magistrate ruled the country, and everyone knew it, despite the Senate underneath him that claimed to have the power to overturn his decisions.

Dr. Hinter gazed intently at Eric. The teen began to sweat slightly under the man's intense stare. Then, he sighed and threw his hands up in the air. "What an impossible child! I suppose if I'm to get anything out of you…Wanda!" His shout earned the attention of the woman on the computer, who snapped to attention in an instant.

"Yes, doctor?" the woman replied hastily. Eric could see fear in her eyes, and he couldn't blame her. The doctor was definitely a scary…actually, Eric considered him more of the creepy type. The way he was hunched over like that, with the greasy black hair and the glasses…he was not someone Eric wanted to meet in an alley somewhere.

"Find that blasted girl and bring her here. Force her if she resists," Dr. Hinter commanded. Wanda nodded and swiftly left the room. Eric thought he detected a hint of relief on the woman's face right before she passed out of sight.

The doctor pulled up the chair that Wanda had been sitting on and rested upon it himself, pulling out a notepad and pen with a look of glee on his face. Eric grunted and let his head rest back on the pillow. Thankfully, the burns on his chest didn't hurt anymore.

"I'm intrigued to know how you got those wounds. Those burns are similar to those caused by fire, but something isn't right. You would need to have been in contact with the fire for a significant amount of time to have gained a burn like that, but your burn as well as the wreckage seem to have been inflicted by a substance hotter than anything we know, touching you for less than a millisecond. Wait….that doesn't explain how you managed to live through it, or why the wreckage was charred more than you were…" the doctor continued to muse, his words gradually becoming more focused towards himself, rather than Eric. Eric knew what had burnt him. Jecht. Somehow that man had sent powerful waves of energy into his chest. It was like fire, but it hadn't been fire.

His was broken out of his thoughts as Wanda appeared again, accompanied by Eric's favorite redhead. Rose's face lit up with relief and happiness once she saw Eric awake.

"Eric! Oh thank God!" Rose expressed with a sigh of pure relief. She bypassed Dr. Hinter immediately and stood just above Eric. She raised her arms as if to hug him, then realized that he was covered in bandages. Eric began to grin despite himself. "Uh…" Rose moved her arms around awkwardly. "Oh fuck it."

Eric's breath caught in his throat when she leaned down over him. Her slender fingers moved his dark hair away from his forehead, and then she planted a light kiss on his forehead. Eric froze, completely unprepared for an action like that. The contact barely lasted for half a second, and then she was standing back above him, looking rather pleased. She giggled as Eric felt his face heat up; he was sure that he was blushing.

Before Eric could come up with a proper response, Dr. Hinter shoved his way past Rose and stood over him, an annoyed look present on his aging face. "You no longer have any reason to deny me. Tell me everything you know about the incident," the doctor demanded. Rose flashed the doctor a furious look, as the man had literally pushed her aside like she didn't matter.

For some reason, Eric felt strangely defiant towards the doctor. Even though Dr. Hinter was responsible for some of the most revolutionary advances in technology and a high ranking member of the government, Eric didn't want to tell him anything. However, he had given his word, so he did as he was asked. His voice cracked a few times during his narration of the event.

Dr. Hinter absorbed every little detail Eric gave him greedily, writing furiously on a clipboard. To Eric's disgust, the doctor did not look even the slightest bit shocked when told of the death of hundreds of students. Instead, he merely looked intrigued.

"Strange men…time….a sigil…" the doctor murmured to himself while Eric spoke. However, the doctor seemed the most interested in the man that called himself the Emperor. Eric had to answer question after question about the strange man, ranging from minute details to his possible motives.

"Doctor, Eric wouldn't know anything like that. We were unconscious whenever they made that pillar of light," Rose finally interrupted. Dr. Hinter regarded her similar to the way a human regards an insect.

"Did I ask for your input? Remain silent, unless I address you directly," the doctor ordered. Rose just looked offended and indignant. She opened her mouth to respond, but stopped when Eric reached forward and brushed her hand, gaining her attention. Eric caught her gaze and shook his head. Enraging the doctor was a bad idea.

"If only there was some way I could find out more about this man," the doctor growled to himself.

The television screen located in the upper corner of the room, which was currently displaying the possible treatments for a certain type of cancer, suddenly switched channels.

The three in the room looked up towards the TV curiously to see the front of the building that housed the Magistrate's Court.

* * *

Sergeant. L Ferlis strode down the wide hallway, accompanied by two soldiers. All of their movements were in tune with one another, showing their discipline and coordination. All of them were dressed in plain black military clothing with the mark of the Magistrate's Court, the falcon resting atop a cracked mountain, emblazoned on their chests.

Ferlis himself possessed an air of command, one gained naturally through many battles. He looked around thirty years of age. His only distinguishing features were his slicked back, brown hair, and the well groomed mustache adorning his upper lip. Clutched in his hand was a envelope, one that he seemed reluctant to relinquish.

The other soldiers in the hallway saluted him smartly as he passed, but Ferlis didn't bother returning them. The envelope in his hand was of the utmost importance. He had no other task in mind other than making sure it ended up in the hands of the Commander General.

Ferlis and his escort took a sharp turn to the right, entering the wing of the building where most high-ranking members of the military kept their offices. Thankfully, Ferlis knew exactly where to go. He directed his feet down through the winding halls of the right wing until he at last stood before the large door at the end of the wing. The words, "Commander General" were engraved on a bronze plaque that rested in the upper half of the door.

Ferlis rapped the door thrice exactly, and then immediately stood at attention, in case the Commander General chose to open the door himself.

"Enter," sounded a firm, clear voice from within the room. Ferlis did so immediately, bringing his escorts with him. He took exactly five steps into the room before again standing at attention. The soldiers behind him did the same.

The Commander General sat erect behind his desk, where he had been looking over a set of maps. Ferlis could see topographic, demographic, and other types of maps that he could not identify. He realized that the Commander General must have been preparing the best plan of attack against their long-time enemy, Perosia. The country that bordered theirs to the north had always been trying to claim their land, though they had always been repulsed.

"State your business, sergeant," ordered Commander General Lyrin. Lyrin was, to date, the youngest man to ever be gifted the exalted rank of Commander General, as he was only twenty six, at the most. Ferlis did not judge the man for it, as he had seen first hand how skilled Lyrin was at bolstering the morale of his men, and then using that in conjunction with his brilliant tactics to make short work of his enemy. That had been during the last skirmish with Perosia.

"Urgent message from New Rysal Police Department, sir!" Ferlis snapped out instantly, knowing that Lyrin was not one who enjoyed being kept waiting. Lyrin raised an eyebrow.

"At ease. Bring it to me," the Commander General order. Ferlis relaxed, as did his men, but by no means did he take this as an excuse to speak freely. He walked up to the desk and handed the envelop gingerly to Lyrin, who grasped it with his well callused fingers. The Commander General swiftly ran his finger under the flap of the envelope, ripping it open efficiently. He reached inside and pulled out the contents.

Ferlis had not seen what was in the envelope when he received it, so he was surprised that the only thing inside of it was a small, folded piece of paper and a four gigabyte flash drive. The sergeant expected to be dismissed upon completion of his delivery, but Lyrin gave no order to do so. Instead, the young man started up his computer, and while waiting for it to boot, read the letter. He had only read it for a few moments before his eyes went wide.

"Ferlis, your men are dismissed," Lyrin ordered. Ferlis tried to figure out his motive, but the Commander had no expression on his face other than a passive indifference.

The two escorts that had accompanied him saluted smartly and left the room, shutting it behind them. Now that Lyrin and Ferlis were alone, a look of worry crossed the Commander's face.

"Commander General?" Ferlis pressed curiously, wondering what was so bad that it had even Lyrin worried. More importantly, he wondered why the Commander was trusting him. Certainly they had battled together in the last skirmish, but he didn't' think that the bonds of war counted as trust.

"Take a look at this and tell me what you think," Lyrin commanded, handing the folded piece of paper to Ferlis so that he could read it. Ferlis took the paper and brought it to his eyes.

"_To: Commander General Lyrin_

_From: Captain Morris : NRPD_

_Subject: Incident in New Rysal_

_We here at the NRPD trust that you, as the head of our military sector, have the necessary authority to handle this issue. We have determined, at the cost of many casualties, that we simply do not have the manpower or tactical abilities needed to handle this on our own._

_Enclosed with this letter is a flash drive containing pieced together footage from the wreckage of the Rysal High School. We have determined through the testimony of survivors that the source of the pillar of light emanated from this area. This is out of our hands, and we place our faith in you."_

Ferlis put the letter down with a heavy sigh. Lyrin scanned his face for a reaction, waiting for the sergeant to reply.

"I think we need to take a look at that footage," was Ferlis's only reply. Lyrin nodded and turned on the projector located next to his computer. The image of his computer desktop was displayed on the wall behind him, albeit larger than normal.

Without a word, Lyrin plugged in the flash drive into his computer. Once the machine detected the drive, Lyrin opened it to see one file in AVI format. His computer was thankfully outfitted with software to run such a file type, so all he had to do was click it for it to run.

The video that ran before them was heavily damaged. Every few seconds, several lines of static would distort the image, making it harder to see what was going on. However, they were able to make out the courtyard of the school, where the students were enjoying their lunch as per usual.

Lyrin immediately paused the video the moment something happened that was out of the ordinary. The armored knight that had suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the courtyard was definitely not normal.

"What do you think?" the Commander questioned. Ferlis gazed hard at the knight until he came up with a line of reasoning.

"That armor is definitely not modern era, yet it matches no known pattern of any medieval armor I've ever seen. As for who he is, the answer could be many things. The students down there like to engage in certain conventions that require dressing up, but I doubt that's it. If it were that simple, we wouldn't be watching this," Ferlis conjectured, while Lyrin listened to him intently.

"Then I will input his profile into our database. I'll just take this screenshot," Lyrin said. With the press of one button, a screenshot was saved and the video resumed.

They were taken by surprise when even more strange figures showed up. Ferlis's comprehension of the situation shown in the video dropped lower and lower, especially when things began happening that he couldn't understand. When he started seeing things explode and instantly get fixed again, he motioned for Lyrin to stop the video.

"This has to be doctored. It is not physically possible to fly, walk through walls, or return things to the way they were before they were destroyed," Ferlis snapped angrily. "Who do the NRPD think they are, joking around like this?! We are the soldiers of the Magister's Court! Not even the normal military would stand for this!"

"Calm yourself, sergeant!" Lyrin cut across his ranting with a wave of his hand. Ferlis gulped and apologized, suddenly breaking out into a sweat. "It is indeed strange to see such phenomenon, but it is foolish and ignorant to dismiss video proof until it has been proven without a doubt that it is falsified. I, for one, do not believe that the NRPD would be foolish enough to attempt to enrage me, as I could end their careers in an instant."

Ferlis knew he wasn't bluffing. The Magistrate held no one in the military in higher regard than Lyrin. If the Commander General wanted someone removed, it happened. If he wanted someone appointed, it happened. When the sergeant said nothing more, Lyrin resumed the video.

Their expressions soon turned from disbelief to utter shock and horror when they observed the students losing their lives to the strange figures that had entered the courtyard. They could do nothing but watch the strange and unbelievable events that occurred afterwards.

The video ended just after the pillar of light erupted from the center of the sigil, when the man calling himself the Emperor murdered the SWAT team that came to investigate.

"Ferlis…." Lyrin began haltingly. The sergeant met the Commander's gaze, and saw within them a burning determination. He recognized that look. Lyrin had worn that same look a long time ago, when he had first proved his mettle during his first battle under Ferlis's command, and in every battle henceforth.

"We cannot ignore this. Prepare to rally the men to deal with this threat immediately."

Ferlis was just about to leave the Commander General's office when the TV in the room switched on, as it usually did during momentous occasions.

"We forgot about the Magistrate's speech today," Lyrin remarked. "Go, Ferlis. I will watch the speech. Make sure the Magistrate's guard is doubled. Send a platoon to New Rysal and find that man!"

"Sir, yes sir!" Ferlis snapped out, and left the room. Lyrin was left alone in his office, watching the television.

* * *

The Magistrate strode up on stage, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people that had come from all over the country to catch a glimpse of their leader in person. Upon seeing him, the crowd erupted into tumultuous cheers, which the Magistrate took with good grace, smiling and waving at his people.

The Magistrate was in his late forties, though he looked much older due to his short gray hair that was groomed close to his scalp. Minor wrinkles ravaged his face, due more to stress rather than age. Despite his aging appearance, the Magistrate possessed an aura that commanded respect.

Behind the stage stood the Magister's mansion, where he lived in safety with his family and staff, dealing with the affairs of state form within the comforts of his own home. The luxurious structure stood in stark comparison to the other buildings in the city, which appeared run-down and shabby in comparison.

The man who was already standing at the podium quickly switched on the microphone. He hurriedly adjusted the mike so that it did not squeal, and then he spoke into it. "Welcome, citizens of Naturnalis! I am proud to present to you the lifelong leader, Commander-in-Chief, Magistrate Torvan the fourth!"

The announcer's enthusiasm only served to invigorate the crowd further. Magistrate Torvan stepped up to the podium, eagerly grasping the microphone given to him by the announcer. The moment the Magistrate could be seen, the cheers died down, to be replaced by a respectful silence. Torvan's face split into a happy smile as he regarded his people.

"Thank you all for your warm welcome, and for coming out here tonight. I have gathered you all here today to…"

* * *

"_…address your concerns. I have become aware of the murmurings of discontent present…" _Magistrate Torvan continued to address the people.

Eric watched from his hospital bed as the Magistrate spoke. He scoffed derisively, though he made sure it wasn't loud enough for Dr. Hinter to hear. All three of them were watching the television closely. It wasn't often that Torvan himself emerged from his jeweled mansion, so it was interesting enough for him to watch.

Eric had little faith in the leadership after the incident. If their leadership had been more sound, then there would have been more security. With that security, perhaps the Emperor would have never had the ability to infiltrate the school and murder his classmates, and nearly himself as well.

Eric never liked Torvan to begin with. He didn't like the idea that one person could have absolute power over the country. He preferred the time before the first war with Perosia, when the country was ruled by three different branches that were able to keep the others in check. However, while the branches slowly collapsed into debates about what to do about the war, Senator Torvan pushed for emergency powers with such eloquence and charisma, that it was only a matter of time before he was given the title of Magistrate.

"Perhaps this time he will give more funding to the science department…" Dr. Hinter mused to himself as he watched the TV. Eric shot him a disbelieving glance.

* * *

"I want you to understand that I have your best interests at heart. I know that there have been complaints concerning the increase in taxes and the implementation of the Conscription Doctrine. However, we should not fight amongst ourselves while our greatest enemy, Perosia, lies on our very doorstep!" Torvan was a master of riling up the crowd. Every face in the crowd was contorted with hatred towards the country to the north.

"They come to take your lands, your families, even your very lives! They are not the kind to show mercy, and if we do not stop them, they will overtake us. I want you to be comforted by my solemn promise that your hard-earned money and young are being used to support the highest of causes: the protection of the future for generations to come!" Torvan's charisma was clearly having an effect on the crowd. The cameramen whose cameras were trained on the Magistrate zoomed and maneuvered closer to get a better angle of the powerful man.

The announcer, who had taken a back seat near the rear of the stage, turned his head idly to scan the crowd, and noticed something odd. The wind was moving oddly, blowing for a few seconds in a random direction, and then becoming completely still. This pattern continued, confusing the announcer. Clouds were gathering above them all faster than he believed possible. The clusters of clouds darkened swiftly and bulged, advertising the presence of a downpour within its misty depths. When the clouds met in the center of their paths, they covered the sun. A shadow fell upon the city.

Unease shot through the announcer for a reason he could not understand. He chose to leave the stage and check around to make sure the security was still in place. He went backstage first, where the Magistrate's personal guard was waiting, decked in full combat suits and armed to the teeth with heavy machine guns.

Satisfied, the announcer inspected the perimeter of the event, making sure every soldier assigned to them was vigilant and on guard.

The announcer was confused. Everything seemed normal, so why did he feel so uneasy?

* * *

The soldier on the eastern edge of the event gripped his rifle restlessly. While he enjoyed listening to the Magistrate's speeches, the last thing he wanted was to stand guard. It was his least favorite duty and his captain knew it.

The soldier sighed. That was the last time he'd ever put thistles in his captain's cot. He expected the man to have a better sense of humor than that.

The soldier knew that no one would bother trying to mess up this event. People had tried to assassinate Torvan before, but the Magistrate had always been two steps ahead. His personal guard were equivalent to commando level units, and they had yet to be defeated. He didn't even know why he was here.

He was snapped out of his thoughts when someone approached the event perimeter. The soldier was confused. The entrance was to the south, so what was this person doing here? He was even more confused by the man's attire.

Purple and black robes swirled through the air as the new arrival walked. There was a satisfied half-smile plastered on the man's regal, yet very pale visage. The soldier began to shiver for a reason that eluded him. His hairs began to stand on end, as if electricity was surging through the air. When the man drew nearer, the soldier resolved to do his job.

"Halt! No entry past this point. Relocate to the southern end of the plaza, or turn back!" the soldier declared. He couldn't afford to be lax on security, so he raised his gun and leveled the muzzle until it pointed directly at the new arrival's head.

The man's smirk never left his face, though he did stop. The soldier suddenly broke out into a cold sweat when he saw that the man was holding a bladed staff that was seemingly rotating in midair.

When the man took another step forward, the soldier moved to pull the trigger.

He was dead before he even knew what was happening. The Emperor stepped delicately over the body of the soldier and continued on his way.

* * *

"_I ask only for your continued support and faith in the trying future…" _Eric, Rose, and the doctor continued to watch the Magistrate's talk.

Eric noticed the incoming storm that was fast converging upon the stage where the Magistrate stood. It was coming awfully fast.

"I hope he manages to wrap up his speech before it starts to rain," he commented. He shifted in his bed until he was comfortable again.

"Oh yeah, that would suck for him if those fancy clothes got all drenched," Rose pointed out humorously. Eric let himself smile, the expression seeming foreign to his lips.

When Dr. Hinter irritably hissed at them, Eric and Rose lapsed into silence, returning their attention to the television.

Eric noticed the man who had announced the Magistrate's arrival walk backstage for some reason. He thought that was odd. He was sure the announcer was supposed to take over the microphone after the speech was over, so why was he leaving?

The announcer soon returned. The closer the camera got to the stage, the more defined his expression became. He seemed troubled, almost as if something was not going right with the event.

When the storm clouds finally reached the square where the stage was situated, the shadow that fell over them caused even Eric to feel a little uneasy.

That unease was even more compounded when the last person he expected to see again walked onto the stage as if he owned it. Eric shot up in the bed, his eyes becoming as wide as dinner plates. The force of his movement tore the IV out of his arm, and the machines monitoring his heart rate began to sound off.

With a confident smile, the Emperor glided across the stage towards the Magistrate, his body literally floating at least an inch above the ground, so that the tips of his toes just barely scraped the wooden surface.

"It's him!" Eric shouted in shock. Rose let out a gasp and retreated towards the back of the room, where Eric was. The doctor only looked intrigued.

"Interesting. Let us see what unfolds, then," Dr. Hinter declared calmly.

* * *

"Now that you have heard the reasoning behind my arguments, I wish to propose the implementation of a brand new pol…a brand….new…" Torvan launched into the next facet of his speech, but even he faltered and stopped talking when the Emperor glided towards him. The crowd's eyes were all fixed upon the new arrival. The millions of people that had gathered for the event then exhibited an atmosphere of curiosity and trepidation.

The Emperor slowly extended his free hand, opening his fingers to reveal a flattened palm. The microphone that was clenched in Torvan's hand slipped out of his grip, much to his shock and wonderment, and floated through the air. The Emperor grasped the small object for a moment, and then he allowed it to hang in the air just in front of his mouth.

"If you'll allow me to interrupt," he spoke calmly, his smooth and majestic voice projecting throughout the clearing. His words caused a stir to pass through the crowd.

"Sir, I must ask you to leave the stage immediately. This is a very important event," the announcer stepped up and whispered to the Emperor, who did not even give him the courtesy of looking at him. Instead, when the announcer attempted to take the microphone away, he found himself completely unable to move, or even to open his mouth.

"Allow me to introduce myself, ladies and gentlemen. I am Mateus. It appears to me that the purpose of this event is to address the fallibilities in the current leader observed by the commoners, correct?" the Emperor gave a slight, mocking bow after he gave his name, feigning courtesy, yet the aura of malice that he exhibited could be felt by all. He did not wait for an answer to his question before continuing. Even as Mateus spoke, the Magistrate could be seen frantically giving orders to his men through a radio.

"Perhaps it is time for you to consider the possibility that your leadership should not be improved, but instead replaced," Mateus continued, the smile on his face widening. A troubled murmur passed through the crowd. Behind the Emperor, the Magistrate's personal guard emerged from backstage with their weapons in hand. Mateus paid them no mind.

"I propose a change in government," came the Emperor's tumultuous proclamation. At this Torvan adopted an enraged expression. The Magistrate stepped up to Mateus.

"How dare you interrupt this momentous ceremony to spread your slander and lies! I command that you remove yourself from the stage, else my guards will ensure that you do!" Torvan snapped. The Emperor gave the Magistrate a haughty look, and then turned to view the soldiers that were aiming their rifles at him.

Mateus's eyes flashed ominously, and then the weapons in their hands melted into liquid metal and streamed into the air. The soldiers were so taken aback by the phenomenon, that they could do little more than gape at the liquid mass of metal that hung suspended in midair.

With a snap of his fingers, the mass of metal fragmented into several smaller segments – one for each of the soldiers. Then, the metal zoomed towards each soldier, bearing their bodies backwards into the nearest wall and solidifying there.

"I hereby proclaim myself Emperor of this land, as I am the only man in existence fit to rule a kingdom such as this," Mateus said immediately after he had incapacitated the soldiers. Torvan's eyes were bulging, and his face was red. He took a step back, but the Emperor had already turned his black gaze upon his, the killing intent evident in his dark eyes.

"There can only be one ruler, and I am he!" The Emperor pointed his hand out towards the Magistrate. Torvan had only a moment to contemplate the meaning of this gesture before a powerful blast of magic power burst forth from Mateus' hand. Torvan was hit directly in the torso and propelled across the stage and into the crowd, which split outwards to avoid being hit.

Torvan hit the ground hard, and did not rise again. There was a few moments of stunned silence as blood seeped out from the Magistrate's corpse. Then chaos broke loose.

The Emperor gazed across his new subjects with veiled amusement as they began running amok in panic. Their screams did little more than amuse him.

The soldiers that had been contracted to form a perimeter around the event had heard the commotion. Mateus watched them stream into the plaza, threading their way through the innocents that were fleeing for their lives. Then, the Emperor turned his gaze towards the cameraman. Although he was shaking up a storm, the man was diligently filming everything that occurred.

Intrigued, Mateus floated over to the man, who visibly paled at his proximity. Despite his fear, the man refused to move.

"What is that device?" the Emperor questioned curiously, indicated the camera behind which the man stood. The cameraman jumped in shock at being addressed. Halting and mumbled words tumbled out of the man's voice in his haste to respond.

"I-i-it's a c-camera, s-sir. It is showing w-whatever h-happens here to the rest of the country." Mateus's smile returned. With an approving nod, the Emperor turned the other direction and faced the incoming soldiers.

"Indeed? Then carry on. All of the country shall see the might of their new ruler." The cameraman's sigh of relief was enough to cause Mateus's mood to lift even more. He would start off his reign of terror with a massacre.

The soldiers did not even give Mateus the offer of surrender, immediately opening fire with their rifles. Even as they fired, they could feel raw power crackling through the air around them. Time appeared to slow down for the soldiers, even to the point where their very bullets were visible. They traveled sluggishly through the air, leaving a visible distortion in the air behind them. Even as they watched, the bullets melted to liquid, and then evaporated to gaseous metal before even reaching Mateus.

The Emperor's laughter boomed across the plaza, striking fear into the hearts of the men that opposed him. Lightning lanced through the dark clouds above, the very atmosphere reacting to the incredible power possessed by the Emperor.

The soldiers cried out and covered their eyes as lightning flashed directly in the clearing. When they were able to see again, they were shocked to see one of their own burnt and blackened, having been incinerated by the powerful electricity. The Emperor's hand was extended, which hinted that it had been he who had summoned the killing bolt.

"Take cover!" one of the soldiers cried out. The speaker looked like the others, except for the yellow colored band on his shoulder that indicated his rank. At his command, the soldiers broke ranks and rushed for the nearest solid structure, whether it be a wall, concession stand, or even a fountain. From there, they began blind firing at the Emperor.

Mateus didn't even flinch when the bullets dissolved in front of him into nothing. When the last bullet of the volley reached him, he plucked it out of the air with two fingers, inspecting the item he now held. "How interesting. You use small pieces of metal to target vital structures in the human body. Quite clever, but useless to me." Mateus crushed the metal flat between his fingers without seeming to use any effort.

He ignored the soldiers that were still firing at him, as each bullet merely impacted with his barrier of pure heat and dissolved. Instead, he beheld the Magister's mansion that towered over the plaza. He curled his lip into a sneer. What stood before him was not to his liking at all.

The ground cracked under Mateus's feet, and what looked to be molten rock seeped from within. Even as the lava pooled around his feet, he showed no sign of pain nor did he try to move. Sparks then erupted from the cracked earth, flying around his body, giving him a hellish aura. Mateus smiled again, believing the aura to be fitting for what he was about to do.

A larger crack appeared above him. This time, with a snap of Mateus's fingers, the crack began to lengthen, spidering across the ground towards the mansion. As the crack widened, a hellish red glow could be seen emanating from within.

The soldiers ceased fire and began to watch the spectacle with trepidation, wondering what new devilry would emerge from the crack.

The crack shot under the mansion, and began undermine its foundation. The entire mansion began tilting, as the land it rested upon was now twisting and writhing underneath it, like a bed of snakes. The crack widened and widened, and soon one whole edge of the mansion crumbled into the gap.

The soldiers were horrified. They all knew that the Magister's family and staff lived within, and it was clear that if they weren't able to evacuate in time, then they would all plummet to their deaths.

The Emperor swept his hand to the right. With a deafening crack, the fissure suddenly widened to the point where it could encompass even one of the military's aircraft carriers. The Magister's mansion, no longer having any ground upon which to stand, tumbled end over end into the glowing abyss, disintegrating into rubble as it fell.

A roaring inferno erupted from the abyss, illuminating the plaza with a bloody red light. The Emperor viewed his creation with an unreadable expression. He waited patiently, though for what no one could tell.

The soldiers spotted something crawling out of the fissure. An incredibly broad and muscled arm colored a deep red shot out of the inferno and clamped onto the edge of the fissure, its thick fingers shattering the ground where they impacted. Black nails as sharp and as broad as steak knives dug into the earth, providing its owner with a firm handhold.

The being continued to lift itself up, another arm joining the first. Its head followed next. Its horrendous visage caused the soldiers to recoil in horror. Its face resembled that of a feral lion, yet it was furless and its red skin was stretched taught across its skull. Glowing yellow eyes slitted like a cat's rested just below its thick brow. Instead of a mane, a series of tiny spikes started on the tip of its snout and stretched over the back of its head and down its back, lengthening into vicious barbs as it did so.

The creature roared, and then it used the ground as leverage to fling itself out of the abyss. It soared high in the air before landing on its broad feet, smashing the ground further at its point of impact. It stood taller than even the Emperor, though he showed no sign of being intimidated by its presence. Instead, satisfaction crossed Mateus's face.

"My lord," the being rumbled in a rough deep voice. Mateus inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement of the title. "It has been too long since we were summoned last."

"My loyal Overseer, commander of my armies. An infestation of insects is plaguing the site of my future fortress. Take care of them for me, if you would," the Emperor commanding, waving his hand idly at the soldiers. Many of the soldiers had already fled, losing heart at the sight of the monstrosity that stood before the Emperor, yet some still stood, determination stamped upon their faces.

"Steady men…the Commander General's reinforcements will soon be here," the captain called to his men. Worried murmurs ran through the ranks, though they were barely heard due to the roaring sound of the flames.

The Overseer, for that is what the beast was named, allowed a vicious smile to cross its feline face. A warhammer crafted out of a solid black material, similar in texture to obsidian yet harder than any known substance materialized in his massive hand.

"It would be my pleasure."

The beast roared out his challenge to the soldiers, shaking their resolve. Then, the Overseer took a step forward. Then another. The earth shook each time his broad feet would slam into the ground.

Behind the beast, more figures crawled from the abyss. Unlike the Overseer, each of the new figures were the same size as humans, albeit a bit larger than the average. They were dressed in black armor and cloaked in shadow, revealing their true nature as demonic entities. Their ruby eyes glowed with malice. Hundreds of these shadow warriors crawled from the fissure and marched forward in perfect ranks. For weapons, they carried dark shields and long black broadswords that curved at the tip and barbed along the back edge.

Their tide did not slow, adding more and more warriors to the Emperor's army. Mateus levitated above his army, so that he could watch the ensuing battle personally.

When the Overseer took another step forward, the captain acted. "Open fire!" he commanded desperately. Their rifles barked repeatedly, sending hot metal flying through the air towards the approaching army. All they received for their efforts were the sound of metal ricocheting off of armor. Their advance did not halt. As for the Overseer himself, each time a bullet would hit him, he would hiss in annoyance, but they never pierced his skin in the slightest.

Finally, the Overseer reached the first soldier, who was hidden behind a wooden concession stand, his back pressed to its surface and blind firing over the top. The beast snarled once and held his hammer in both hands. With a roar, the Overseer swung the weapon in a mighty overhead arc. The flat of the hammer shattered the concession stand like matchsticks and moved on to smash into the soldier's head. There was a sickening crunch, and the man's skull caved in like it was made of flypaper.

The beast turned his body, bringing his hammer around in front of him horizontally. It slammed into a stone pillar that hid another soldier behind it. Even so, the pillar broke into pieces and the hammer passed right through it, colliding with the soldier's torso. The soldier was borne completely off the ground and sent all the way to the other side of the plaza, shards of his ribs driving through his vital organs and sticking out the other side.

"H-he's a monster!" another soldier cried, and he pulled the pin on a grenade. He tossed the explosive through the air powerfully, only for the Overseer to growl and snatch it out of the air. The beast crushed it in his hands before it could detonate, rendering the object useless. Then, the Overseer opened his jaws. The soldier that had tossed the grenade could only watch as a stream of vivid purple flames coursed over the beast's jaws and incinerated him.

The shadow warriors reached the ranks of the soldiers next, their weapons held high.

"Retreat! Fall back to point Alpha!" the captain shouted frantically as he broke cover. He reloaded his rifle and unloaded it into the ranks of the dark warriors, aiming for their joints, such as under the arm or at their neck, where their weak points seemed to be. He managed to fell one before another reached him, swinging its sword without a sound. He ceased fire and fended off the strike with the flat of his rifle. He was shocked when the dark blade passed right through his rifle, slicing it in half. Unnerved, the captain backpedaled, pulling out his sidearm and shooting the warrior in the eye.

"HQ, this is Captain Raul! Where are those reinforcements!?" he barked into his radio. As soon as he did so, he yelped and threw himself to the floor, narrowly avoiding the Overseer's hammer. Raul rolled to the right to avoid the beast's follow up attack, and then fired his pistol directly into the monster's left eye.

That seemed to have an effect on the beast. It recoiled sharply and hissed angrily, clamping a hand to the affected eye. Raul didn't push his luck and he turned tail and ran along with the scattered remnants of his men. Wherever he looked, the shadow warriors were cutting down his men like wheat before the scythe, taking nary a casualty in return. To his shock, Raul spotted the very warriors that he shot standing back up as if they had never been hurt.

"HQ!" Raul roared, leaping over a stone partition and fleeing to the outpost that the military referred to as point Alpha.

"_This is Commander General Lyrin speaking. Air support incoming, stay alive," _was the response. Raul's eyes widened when he recognized the name. The Commander General himself was speaking! Raul's spirits lifted when he heard that air support was on its way.

The remainder of the soldiers joined Raul. He was shocked to see that out of the entire perimeter, only twenty men remained. He then glanced out of the window of the building to see the warriors approaching at the same steady pace, the Overseer leading them. Raul began snapping out commands rapidly, as he had not the time to dawdle.

"I want heavy weapons brought here from the storeroom. Ford, barricade the entrance with whatever you can find. Hoffman, set get on that 50. Cal! Go!" The man scattered to do his bidding. The one called Hoffman deployed a powerful fifty caliber machine gun at the windows, and immediately began pumping rounds into the oncoming forces. To Raul's relief, he could see the weapon smashing through the armor of the enemy and dealing some real damage.

A soldier ran up to Raul, shouted something loudly, and pressed a powerful rocket launcher into his hand. Raul thanked the soldier and placed his pistol down in favor of the launcher. He placed it upon his shoulder and flicked open the sights. The HUD flickered on with a quiet beep.

Raul oriented the crosshairs onto the approaching form of the Overseer, which looked like something out of a horror movie due to the evil glint in his eyes. Once he had a lock, he pulled the trigger. The launcher roared and propelled him backwards ever so slightly as it dispensed its lethal payload.

The Overseer spotted the incoming missile. Without even halting his momentum, he batted it away like it was nothing. The rocket, knocked off course, instead impacted with a group of the dark warriors and exploded. Bits of black armor fragmented from the explosion, and to Raul's satisfaction, the affected warriors were left broken on the ground, unmoving. It bothered him that the Overseer hadn't been affected, but at least he had dealt some damage.

"_This is Captain Marhess of the Winged Brigade. Awaiting targets," _Raul's radios sparked to life. The soldiers around the captain cheered upon hearing the arrival of their reinforcements.

Raul grabbed the radio swiftly and barked into it. "Roger that Winged Brigade. Targets marked by green smoke." With that, Raul grabbed a smoke grenade from his belt and flung it across the street at the Overseer, who caught it and crushed it. Fortunately, crushing the grenade did not prevent it from releasing its payload of thick green smoke. On Raul's command, other green smoke grenades were tossed into the ranks of the enemy, marking targets for the incoming air support.

"_Targets locked on. Allied forces, clear the marked areas," _the radio barked again. Raul released another rocket into the enemy ranks, dealing significant damage.

"We're outnumbered!" Hoffman cried out, even as he pumped more rounds into the soldiers with the powerful mounted machine gun. Raul was about to respond when flame from the Overseer incinerated the poor soldier.

"Somebody man that gun!" Raul snapped. Immediately after giving the order, he heard the sound of aircraft streaking through the air above them.

Powerful missiles launched by the aircraft bombarded the enemy ranks. Section upon section of the dark warriors were annihilated by the onslaught, and even the Overseer was lost from sight by the resulting explosions.

"Suck on that, spawn of hell!" a soldier near Raul cheered. The captain didn't discourage him. They needed all the morale they could get.

"They're getting too close!"

"We can't hold them!"

"Captain?!"

Raul cursed and threw his empty rocket launcher to the side. He went for his pistol, but thankfully another passing soldier handed him a powerful heavy machine gun. The captain felt the weight with satisfaction. He hefted it and leveled it out the window, directly at the Overseer. "Fall back! We'll be crushed if we're caught here!"

Raul roared and pulled the trigger. He nearly winded himself when the powerful weapon kicked into his chest and sprayed a large amount of projectiles from its muzzle. The Overseer growled and lifted his hammer, the bullets bouncing off of his hide, leaving nothing more than small welts behind.

"MOVE!" Raul screamed hoarsely, abandoning his position by the windows. His soldiers followed him, alerted by his urgency, and not a moment too soon. The Overseer smashed through the wall of the building like paper with his hammer. The Raul cursed as a piece of the resulting debris soared over his shoulder, tearing into his shoulder. The debris or the Overseer annihilated a few of the men, but the rest managed to follow Raul out the back door.

Raul was shocked to see that the Winged Brigade had broken off its assault and were instead defending themselves against other air units. They were unlike any air unit Raul had ever seen.

"D-dragons?!" Raul stammered. That was exactly what he was seeing. Dragons as large as aircraft that possessed dark red scales and powerful wings and talons were clashing with the aircraft in midair. Raul watched as one of the demonic dragons slammed into one of the planes, tearing it to shreds with its powerful claws and incinerating the pilot with claws. Another plane zoomed nearby and unloaded a heavy machine gun into the dragon; the bullets easily perforated it, which Raul was happy to see.

"Our air support is shot. We have to retreat!" Raul called, and then he recoiled with shock when he saw that all that was left of his men were five soldiers, each of them injured.

* * *

Emperor Mateus watched from his position in front of the fissure. He appeared satisfied that his forces had massacred the enemy. It had been so long since he had held such power over his situation, and he loved it.

Hundreds of dead, both demonic, human, and civilian covered the plaza, the stones running red with blood. The only human left alive in the clearing was the cameraman, who was still filming live to the rest of the country despite everything. The man was hyperventilating, his clothing drenched in sweat.

The Emperor approached the camera, his calm visage filling TV sets all over the country. "Tell me, what is the name of this country?"

"Mercadia, my lord," the man managed to get out, wisely attaching a title to the imposing man in front of him. Mateus nodded.

"Citizens of Mercadia, I stand before you as your Emperor. Your old government has fallen, and it is only a matter of time before your military falls as well," Mateus began, addressing his words to the rest of the country. "I shall seamlessly integrate into your system, albeit with a few minor alterations. All bodies of national authority are hereby abolished. Your taxes now come to me. You can expect my soldiers to assume control of each of your cities within the month. Attempt to resist, and you will be felled just like your previous ruler."

The Emperor then turned away from the camera. "Come with me. You will become the liaison between me and my subjects." The cameraman gulped and carried the camera after Mateus, still filming.

"Wait." Mateus ordered once they stood before the giant fissure. The Emperor raised his hand, and the glow emanating from the crack turned a magenta color, mixed with a tinge of cyan. "Show the country the ascent of my fortress."

The cameraman focused his camera on the fissure, from which even more demons from hell crawled. However, he noticed something else coming up.

A large piece of crystal that was colored magenta and cyan shot up into the air. Another one followed. The man's eyes bugged out as a huge amount of crystals erupted from the abyss, colliding and intertwining with one another in midair to form larger and larger structures.

As he watched, the stream of crystals began to form a vague shape of a building that floated at least a hundred feet off of the ground.

Soon, a massive fortress hung suspended in midair over the abyss. Its walls and parapets were covered in a hexagonal pattern. Its gates were large and fortified, by both a set of crystalline doors and a wicked portcullis. Magenta steps made of crystal slowly formed, until it reached the Emperor's feet. An elegant winding staircase now led to the gates of the fortress. Mateus gazed up at the edifice with utter triumph stamped onto his face

"Behold, my subjects. This…is Pandemonium."

* * *

Done! Finally! I had such a case of writer's block during the hospital scene. I thought I'd never finish this scene. However, after I started listening to the Hell Chapter soundtrack from Bleach, the words just started flowing. When the demons came out of hell, the full version of Incantation was playing. How fitting, don't you agree?

In case anyone is wondering, the Emperor made a deal with the devil in Final Fantasy II in order to gain command of his forces. However, when the devil came to collect, the Emperor killed him and assumed his mantle as the Lord of Hell, which is why he was able to summon demons from hell to fight the soldiers. The same goes for Pandemonium. In the game, it was explained as being the Castle of Hell, where the Lord of Hell resides.

So the war begins. I loved that fight scene there. The Overseer is a character of mine that I used back when I used to play D&D, so I was ecstatic that I was able to use him here. Oh hell yeah, I'll be drawing upon all sorts of original characters that I made in the past to serve as generals for either the Emperor's or Terraform's army. Terraform hasn't been introduced yet, though.

Fadedsolitude28: I'm glad you liked it. There will be lots of dark bits, since the entire story is mostly villain centric. I may have the heroes of Cosmos come through if enough people ask me…oh who am I kidding barely anyone reviews my story lol.

Justyoumi: While your idea would have had merit if I hadn't planned ahead, Eric and Rose are believed later because…the Emperor fucking murders the country leader on live television. As for the villains, each one had their motives for fusing, which I will probably get into next chapter. As for Jecht, he is civil because he was never technically a villain.

Keelah Se'lai

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	5. The Oncoming Storm

Here's the next chapter. Sorry for the wait, but it took me a while to get past the Eric scenes. After the first few chapters, he got really boring to write about. Thankfully, we won't be seeing him for a long time.

Anyhow, I think I should make a new disclaimer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy or any of the related titles, nor do I own the Emperor or Pandemonium. However, the fusion idea is mine, and I do own Eric, Rose, Claire, Dr. Hinter, Ray, Mrs. Karis, Gavin, Jerren, Shuryo, Shirako, Silvarion, The Overseer, Captain Raul, and every other original character that I haven't mentioned yet. In fact, everything about this story is original apart from the villains and their back-story. All I would have to do is change the villains and their motivations and back-story, and I could publish this.

* * *

An atmosphere of shock and hopelessness filled the small hospital room. Eric's eyes were riveted on the television screen, despite the fact that video had cut out not long after the emergence of the dark fortress that the Emperor had referred to as Pandemonium. Nothing could be seen on the screen except static.

No one spoke, not even Dr. Hinter. It was understood between all of them that their world had changed irrevocably. Without the Magistrate, Eric had no doubt that the country would soon descend into chaos. They were about to be subjected to tyranny the likes of which Mercadia hadn't seen since the dark ages, more than a millennium ago.

It was the doctor that found his voice first. "It seems that events have taken an interesting turn." Eric gave the man an incredulous glance, but the doctor paid him no attention.

"Eric, what do we do?" Rose pleaded, and she placed a cool hand upon the teen's arm. Eric had to force himself to relax, otherwise he was sure that he would break down. What had started from a massacre in his school had exploded to outrageous proportions. He could never have anticipated that the Emperor had possessed this much ambition, as well as the audacity to act upon it.

"I…I don't know. I am starting to question my views of reality. Demons, dragons, and dark knights? This is like something out of a fantasy game, yet it's here happening in real life!" Eric's voice rose in volume as he spoke, giving away the roiling emotions that battled inside of him.

"If you are going to act, I suggest you do so now. I expect the Emperor's soldiers to be here before long," Dr. Hinter suggested, even as he paced through the room, gathering his belongings as he did so. Eric watched his movements warily.

"What do you plan to do, doctor? I doubt the Emperor will allow you to retain your position," Eric pointed out. The doctor paled, but that was the only emotion he showed.

"I will present myself to him, of course. No ruler is fool enough to turn down skilled servants, even tyrants," Dr. Hinter replied in all seriousness. Eric and Rose stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

"Have you no loyalty towards your country? Will you just hop from ruler to ruler without a second thought?" Eric snapped at him accusingly. Dr. Hinter shrugged, unconcerned by the hate thrown his way.

"There's no sense in dying in protest against something you can't change." The doctor, having grabbed all of his possessions, departed the room in haste. "No sense at all."

Eric and Rose watched him go with disgust in their eyes. Eric couldn't believe that he would just abandon Torvan's regime without even taking time to consider. Granted, Eric hadn't liked Torvan much, but at least he had been the rightful ruler and not a tyrant like the Emperor was sure to be.

"I hate to admit, but he's right. The Emperor's army is bound to come here soon, and when they do, our resident militia will no doubt attempt to fight back," Eric loathed the doctor, but he had expressed a valid point.

"Are you sure? Wouldn't they find it prudent to just surrender? I'm sure they were watching the slaughter, much like we were," Rose argued. Eric sighed and shook his head. He knew better than anyone else that the head of the police department would never give in.

"Rose, do you know the name of the head of the NRPD?" Eric questioned with a grim smile on his face. Rose shook her head in bemusement. "I didn't think so. His name is Captain Morris."

Rose reeled back and clapped her hands to her mouth, understanding dawning on her face. "Morris? But…that's your…"

"Aye, Rose. Captain Morris is my father." Eric revealed. Rose had to sit down at the revelation. One of her hands moved up to her forehead and rested there.

"So what you're telling me is that this city is going to become a battlefield?" she finally asked. She lifted her head to stare at Eric.

"I'm afraid so," was all Eric could say. They plunged into a deep silence, staring at the floor. Mixed emotions battled in Eric's head. He was anxious for his father's safety, anxious for Rose and his safety, and helplessly angry against the situation forced upon them.

Rose moved over to Eric and climbed up onto the bed next to him. Wordlessly, she leaned her body into Eric's. Despite his surprise, Eric wrapped his arms around her and held her close, feeling the rapid beating of her heart. She let out a shaky sigh that betrayed her fear at the situation.

He sat together with her like that for a long time, as he was sure that neither one of them had the motivation to move after that terrible revelation. Eric knew that because his school was demolished, there would likely be a good period of time before he and Rose were reassigned. Actually, once he thought about it, he had no idea if the Emperor even supported education, so there might not BE schools in Mercadia by the end of the war that was soon to occur.

He did know one thing for certain: there was no way he'd ever let Rose be harmed, even if it cost him his life.

"Come on," he found his voice to be firmer than he'd expected. Rose shifted in his lap and turned her face to look at him. Eric tried to prevent his face from turning red at her face's extreme proximity to his own. "We need to find someplace safe."

"You're right, but…where should we go?" Rose asked nervously. It killed him to see her looking so worried, but he could deal with that once they were safe.

"First, to my father. I'm sure he can direct us to a place where we can be safe," he asserted to her. He sounded far more confident than he really was, which he liked.

Once Rose had agreed, Eric was forced to get up off of the bed, which meant dislodging her from his arms. He secretly wanted to continue sitting like that, but he was sure that he would have all the time in the world once he and Rose were in a safe place.

"Let's go then."

Eric nodded, and then he walked out of the hospital room, the bandages still tight around his middle. He made sure Rose was following, and then he made a beeline for the exit of the hospital.

* * *

The demonic Castle of Hell, Pandemonium, cast a dark shadow over the city of Niemen. Ever since the Emperor's victory over the defense forces of the city, his dark warriors had occupied the streets, patrolling the city in search of any remaining insurgents. Unfortunately, as the dark warriors had little intelligence, innocent civilians who possessed permits to wield weapons were mistaken for insurgents, and cut down without mercy.

These acts forced many of the civilians to go to ground, hiding in their houses and shelters. The education system, surprisingly, was still running, albeit with a few changes. Emperor Mateus was no fool, and he knew that any good kingdom needed educated subjects, lest innovation cease and the empire stagnate. Thus, he had not shut down the schools. Instead, he ordered the head of each school to step down, and replaced them with the more intelligent demons of his army.

Mateus's strategy was foolproof. Instead of completely tearing down the previous ruler's infrastructure and building his own, he seamlessly integrated his own officers into existing leadership positions, and ran the system as it had been before. Schools continued to run, businesses continued to trade, and life went on as normal. However, the Emperor exacted a heavy tax from the citizenry, causing the wealthy of the city no end of trouble. Many of the wealthy were forced to move to less expensive housing in order to afford the new tax. The rich protested vehemently, while the poor were content, as the Emperor's tax was a fixed percentage, so that those with higher incomes were taxed more than those with lower incomes. On one disastrous occasion, a few of the rich had congregated at the foot of Pandemonium in protest, only to be torn apart by the Emperor's air force.

The city was no longer named Niemen, by decree of the Emperor. Instead, the city was to be called Palamecia, in honor of the empire he had once ruled in his original world. Weeks passed in this manner, with surprisingly no action from the humans.

One day, as torrential rain fell from the dark clouds and lightning flashed in the sky, the Emperor summoned the rest of his Generals from Hell. It was to be his first council since the old days.

On the very top floor of Pandemonium, which was constructed of translucent dark blue crystal and decorated with light blue crystalline structures, the council was to take place. The top floor, which extended far above the cloud layer and all the way into the mesosphere, was open to the sky, where billions of stars were visible, twinkling in the endless of abyss of space. A bubble of shimmering air surrounded the roof in all directions, providing its occupants with enriched oxygen, which would make anyone feel energized and alive. At the northern edge of the floor was a large crystal throne, which was colored a bluish gray and adorned with gems of all kinds.

In this throne, the Emperor reclined luxuriously. He leaned against the back of the throne, his elbow set against the armrest. His cheek rested on his fist, while his eyes were fixed upon the only other being in the room.

The Overseer, who was now dressed in a suit of light, silver armor, stood stalwart just in front of the throne, remaining completely silent other than the rumbling of his breathing. The beast's head was slightly bowed in respect to the Emperor.

"They are late," Mateus finally broke the silence with the usual smooth tone. His words betrayed his annoyance, though his voice was as level as ever. The Overseer found himself glad that he had shown up first. However, he didn't particularly want his brethren killed for their tardiness, so he indicated his wish to speak. The Emperor nodded slightly, giving him permission.

"It has been a long time since we were last summoned, your Highness. Perhaps they are reluctant to believe that you have returned," The Overseer rumbled. The Emperor did not reply further, so the Overseer went silent.

The silence between them resumed once more. The Emperor was impossibly patient, as he did not move even an inch from his position. The only sign that he was alive was the constant expanding and contracting of his chest.

After an hour passed, the Overseer grew impatient. He was just about to ask permission to search for them in the depths of Hell, when a barely audible _swish _of air was heard. The beast turned his head to see that an ominous man had appeared in a kneeling position, next to him.

"I haven't seen you since the battle of Deist, X-50," the Overseer remarked. The man remained silent. He was of a particularly tall build, though he was shorter than the Overseer. He was lean, with corded muscles standing out on his arms. For features, the man possessed a tanned complexion and a chiseled, unblemished face with a sharp nose and thin, slightly frowning lips. The most distinguishable features on his face were the two golden yellow eyes that betrayed his nature as a resident of Hell.

His clothes were tight and mainly composed of cloth. They were colored different shades of dark green, giving him the look of a medieval nobleman, though his clothes were too practical and too combat-oriented for that to truly be the case. He wore a hooded cape that was tied at his neck with an onyx brooch. The cape fluttered down his back and extended to his knees, and the hood was missing its top, so his dark spiky hair could be seen. Finally, belted to his side were two daggers, whose blades were hidden in green leather sheaths.

"Glad you could make it, my dear X-50," Emperor Mateus greeted the new arrival cordially. The man nodded smartly, acknowledging the Emperor's greeting. "Perhaps you could tell us why you are so…"

"Your Highness," the man interrupted. The Overseer hissed at him warningly, shocked that he would so brazenly cut across the most powerful man in existence. The Emperor cocked his head slightly, seeming very surprised at the man's boldness. "I have acquired a name since we last met. Call me Shuryo."

"Shuryo…I suppose it only makes sense that you dislike your previous codename. Very well. I shall refer to you as such in the future." Mateus answered in a partly amused tone. Upon saying the new name, the Emperor seemed to roll the word over his tongue, testing out how it sounded in his own voice.

Now that the Emperor had acknowledged him, Shuryo stood up slowly. Mateus glanced at them both. These were two of his Generals that had stood beside him in the final battle against the rebellion back in his own world.

A few minutes passed in silence until the next General made his appearance. The first sign of his arrival was a blast of air that collided with them, coming from the southern edge of the castle. A massive dark shape soared into the air. Then came an outburst of sound so loud, that any normal human would have lost their hearing in less than a second. For the Emperor, all he did was smile, while his Generals' ears twitched.

The shape slammed onto the floor behind the Overseer and Shuryo, cracking the crystal surface from the force of impact. The creature, for it was a creature, possessed a huge triangular head with a spiked crest and covered in black scales that seemed almost liquid in their complexion. For eyes, two emerald orbs stared out from the furrows created by its scaled brow. It opened its mouth slowly, revealing its teeth. To a normal human, its teeth were the size of pillars, sharper than shards of crystal, and harder than diamond. The only way one could describe the creature was as a dragon.

Its bulk was so large, that its tail hung out over the edge of the roof and curled around the corner of the spire. Even standing back as far as it was, the dragon's head hung a few feet back from the Emperor. Even its head was enough to dwarf even the Overseer.

His appearance caused the Emperor to smile wider, recognition sparking in his dark eyes. "Ah, Silvarion, called the Roaring Juggernaut by the rebellion, if I recall correctly," Mateus greeted the dragon much as he had Shuryo. As soon as he had finished speaking, everyone in the room felt a presence in their mind, one that all of them remembered and had missed terribly.

"_Emperor Mateus, I have come at your call, ready to do your bidding," _boomed a deep, otherworldly voice that hinted at great wisdom and power in its tambour. The voice, which was distinctly male, was only heard in their minds, as this was the only way that Silvarion could reply, for his vocal cords were not the same as humans.

"It has been a long time since we last fought alongside one another, Silvarion. I look forward to doing so again." The Overseer greeted his fellow General. The dragon's head moved slowly through the air. Its sheer size caused a current of air to flow just by the movement. An emerald orb gazed at the beast.

"_Do not presume to obstruct me in any way," _was Silvarion's reply. The Overseer grinned wolfishly and slapped his chest with a crimson fist.

"Same to you, dragon." A feeling of comradeship and rivalry could be felt from Silvarion's mind. The Emperor watched his Generals interact with a passive stare. With the addition of the dragon, that made three of his previous five generals.

After Silvarion had reacquainted himself with his old allies, the three of them once again became silent, waiting for the others to arrive. They didn't have to wait very long.

"My, there are a lot of old faces here." The Emperor looked to see a distinctively female figure rise up through the floor as if it had been the surface of a lake, ripples extending away from the spot she entered from. Mateus recognized her instantly, as she was the only one of his Generals that was female.

She looked far younger than she actually was, her body appearing to be in its teens. The Emperor knew better, as she had been alive far longer than he.

A smirk was on her youthful face. Her face was smooth and unblemished, with cheeks that smoothly curved down her face until they met at a point, forming her chin. Her eyes and hair were of the darkest black, rivaling the starry sky itself. Her hair was straight and had a silky texture, hinting that its owner spent long hours tending to it.

For clothing, she wore very little. For a shirt, she possessed a pink, short-sleeved shirt with a collar in the shape of a heart. It was cut high at the waist, showing a considerable amount of midriff, which she flaunted as she walked. She wore a pair of dark pants with small spikes ringing the leg holes and blood red lines of fabric present on the sides of the legs, spanning all the way form her heels to her hips. She did not seem to carry a weapon, though all of the other Generals knew better.

"Tsumire. Wearing as little as ever, I see," The Overseer greeted her first, a derisive edge in his voice.

Despite how she appeared to be regal, composed, and eloquent at first glance, her response to the Overseer shattered that image completely. Tsumire's brow wrinkled in anger and she screamed indignantly at him. "What, you got a problem with my wardrobe, you oversized kitten?!"

The Overseer allowed the insult to his appearance to pass, instead allowing a fiendish smirk to cross his face. Oh, how he had missed needling her. "Not particularly. I merely wished to point out that your style of dress seems more appropriate for a brothel rather than a meeting as important as this."

If Tsumire has seemed angry before, it was nothing compared to what she was now. She stormed over to the Overseer and got up in his face, a vein twitching in her temple. She clenched a fist, tiny in comparison to the beast, and held it up when she replied. "Oh yeah? Let's see how you talk when I've ripped out your whiskers and used them to tie my shoes!"

"Your shoes do not have laces."

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!"

The Emperor grew tired of their bickering and lifted a hand. Power filled the room, and Tsumire's body was wrenched off of the floor and hurled to the side, beside Silvarion. She looked around furiously for the source of the interference, and then she saw the Emperor looking pointedly at her. She froze and gulped, knowing better than to cross the man on the throne.

"Your Highness," Shuryo again addressed the Emperor. All eyes turned to him, for it was rare for him to speak unless addressed. "You seem to have grown much stronger than I remember." The Emperor smiled at that observation.

"_Indeed. Some of your soldiers served you because of your title. I find it intriguing that you, who once struggled to even fight Shuryo, are now able to lift Tsumire like she is nothing." _Silvarion diplomatically pointed out.

The Emperor laughed and stood up from his throne, his toes landing on the crystal floor with a click. "You are all correct. I have obtained the ultimate power. There is none that exist or ever will exist that can rival my newfound strength!" The Emperor allowed his power to surge around him in a dark purple aura. The aura was so strong, that all of the Generals standing there were forced to their knees, save for Silvarion, who merely flinched and covered his eyes with a claw.

"Is that so?" Another figure, which was reclining against a crystal formation, spoke up. Heads turned to see the new arrival, which was the last and strongest of the Generals to arrive.

The figure straightened and strode into the light. The most noticeable feature about the young man was the lack of pigment in his body. His skin was nearly white in its paleness. For hair, he had long, untidy white hair that cascaded over his shoulders and ended halfway down his spine. What truly revealed his nature were the ruby red orbs set into his skull, gazing at the Emperor with an amused look. For clothing, the man wore a tight-fitting black combat suit, complete with pieces of black armor plating present on his major joints. Belted at his side was a thin rapier, which all that knew him knew he could wield with a deadly efficiency

The other Generals looked shocked to see him. "Shirako! You're the last person I expected to see," Tsumire was the first to greet him, skipping happily over to him. Shirako did not spare her even a sideways look, causing her to look at him with a hurt and angry expression. "Hey! I was talking to you!"

"You never did come when summoned. This is indeed a pleasant," The Overseer remarked, ignoring Tsumire's rage. Shirako acknowledged the beast's respect with a curt nod, before the albino turned his attention to the Emperor himself, who also seemed rather bemused.

"Did I hear you correctly? You've attained the 'ultimate' power?" Shirako asked with a ghost of a smile on his face. "I find that hard to believe that a weakling that couldn't even beat Shuryo could have grown so much in such a short time." Shuryo, despite the latent insult that had been delivered to him, remained silent.

"A short time? Uh, Shirako, it's been several fucking millennia! Not all of us sleep as long as you do!" Tsumire shrieked at him, only to be ignored once more. "ACKNOWLEDGE ME DAMMIT!"

"Your disbelief is indeed understandable, Shirako," Mateus finally responded, the sound of his voice immediately causing Tsumire to quiet down. "Are you willing to follow my orders this time around? Your lack of discipline during my last empire was most…displeasing."

"Who knows," Shirako replied mysteriously. Then, without even grabbing for it, his rapier appeared in his hand. He shut his eyes and held the blade upright in front of his face. The Emperor hefted his staff, understanding dawning on his face.

"I see. You intend to test me as you did the first time we met." Mateus observed. Shirako's eyes opened and gazed directly at the Emperor past the blade of his rapier.

The other Generals realized what was going to happen, and respectfully gave the two plenty of room. Shuryo disappeared with another airy _swish, _reappearing atop a particularly large crystal formation at the back of the floor, near the edge. Tsumire joined him up there swiftly, followed by the Overseer. As Silvarion was too large for the formation, the giant dragon slithered over the edge, curling his body along the perimeter of the tower, until only his head was visible. His head hung in the air next to Tsumire, who began absentmindedly petting his snout. Silvarion snorted, but did not stop her.

"Prepare yourself, Mateus. You cannot command me if you cannot defeat me." Shirako declared. The Emperor stepped down from him throne and gazed directly at the albino, memories of their first fight running through his head. It had been such a long time ago, when he had been nothing more than a gifted human spell caster. Shirako had trounced him in less than a minute, easily avoiding every single one of Mateus's attacks. He refused to be humiliated in front of his Generals again.

Shirako stood in the same position for another second, and then he was gone. The Emperor's eyes flicked around. This was exactly what had happened the last time they had fought. Shirako had moved so fast, that Mateus had been unable to follow him. Not this time. Mateus spotted Shirako dashing along the side of the room, his rapier by his side. Deadly intent gleamed in the albino's eyes.

The Emperor waited until the last second, and then he pivoted on his back heel, bringing his staff to bear. A set of concentric pentagonal shapes constructed of glowing cyan lines of energy formed at the spot where his hand held the staff, covering his hold body. Shirako's blade collided with the shapes a millisecond later. Sparks flew, and a gust of wind exploded outwards from the impact, such was the force behind each attack.

Shirako's crimson eyes widened ever so slightly, shocked that he hadn't been able to end the fight in one blow like he had so many millennia ago. The Emperor smirked, and then shoved the albino back and retaliated by sending an extremely powerful particle beam at him.

The albino leapt back and nullified the beam with a wave of his hand, the dark purple energy disappearing into a strange distortion in the air caused by that simple motion. Mateus was slightly surprised at that, but then realized that he never had known the full extent of Shirako's powers.

Shirako did not stand and gawk for long, and instead leapt back into the assault. The Emperor formed a blade from a strange reddish yellow energy, and wielded it in his left hand. With it, he met Shirako's next strike, the impact again sending out a strong shockwave.

The Emperor disengaged his glowing blade and struck out with his staff, which Shirako easily ducked and retaliated with a few quick stabs with the point of his rapier. The Emperor dodged or blocked each stab, using a swift sidestep or a miniature crimson barrier.

The other Generals watched in awe as the two engaged in a lightning fast melee across the top floor of Pandemonium, each strike sending out a wave of wind and sparks. Their speed grew so fast, that none of them, save for perhaps Silvarion, could follow them with their eyes. All they could see were the sparks from their blades clashing.

"Amazing," Tsumire breathed, clasping a hand to her breast. The Overseer nodded his agreement, marveling at the newfound strength of their lord and master.

Shirako and the Emperor appeared on opposite sides of the floor, none of them having been hurt. The Emperor's smirk remained, while Shirako's previous look of confidence had turned into one of glee, a look that he reserved for those that could fight him on equal terms.

"This is fun…so much fun!" Shirako cried out, his lips twisting into a grin of deranged happiness. A glowing white orb appeared on the tip of his rapier, and then he slashed his sword forward, sending the orb forwards. The orb traveled erratically through the air, trailing a white line and other orbs behind it as it zoomed towards the Emperor. The very air shuddered just from the presence of the white energy.

The Emperor saw the spell coming. His own staff started glowing as he prepared his counter attack. Several orb shaped particle beams shot from the tip of his staff and collided with the oncoming attack. As the orbs and particle beams met, they pushed against one another for dominance. The strain of holding back the other's attack showed on each combatant's face. The tremors sent through the air at the impact cracked and shattered the surrounding crystal formations.

The other Generals, except for Silvarion, covered their faces to shield themselves from the residual energy let off by the struggle. None of them could believe what they were seeing.

"Take this!" Shirako roared, and arced his free hand out away from the battling magic power. Form his hand shot forth a powerful blast of white energy, arcing around their magic and zooming towards the Emperor.

The Emperor saw it coming, and much like Shirako, arced his hand out. A powerful particle beam shot from his hand, colliding with Shirako's attack. The two magics intermingled and exploded, rupturing the crystal floor and annihilating the crystal structures that were nearby.

The roiling magic power between the two combatants finally could not handle the contact with the other, exploding violently. The explosion washed over the combatants.

The Emperor brought up a pale yellow, spherical barrier, which protected him from the blast. Shirako swiped his hand to the side, nullifying any of the magic that neared him.

"Enough playing around, Shirako. I am not an opponent you can take lightly," The Emperor warned the albino, sweeping his staff to the side. With that simple motion swept forth a wave of powerful, roiling energy towards Shirako. The General stood there, unmoving, and then sliced through the wave with his rapier. The halves of the attack bypassed him and dissipated harmlessly to either side.

"Oh? Certainly you have improved, but I don't think you're up to the level of my transformation just yet," Shirako replied smoothly, the confident look returning to his pale face.

"His…his transformation? Is he going to use it here?" Tsumire gasped. She looked around, concerned that there was no place to take cover.

The Emperor was surprised by Shirako's mention of a transformation. Certainly Shirako had powers beyond what he was showing now, but he had never witnessed his General changing his form in any way. Then again, that wasn't that surprising, as Shirako went his own way during the rebellion, never fighting around Mateus at all.

"Really? Perhaps I should remind you that I possess my own transformation?" the Emperor pointed out. The albino raised an eyebrow.

"That's right, I remember. I also recall that Firion managed to end you while you were in said transformation," Shirako responded. The Emperor narrowed his eyes in annoyance. It infuriated him that one of his own Generals believed that he cold speak to him in this manner. Though Mateus had to admit that the albino spoke nothing but the truth.

"You recall correctly. Firion possessed a power beyond my comprehension at the time, yet I am nothing like I was before. Thus, my transformation has gained an equal amount of strength," Mateus replied. Although his voice never rose, or even changed emotionally, it was clear to any that the Emperor was annoyed.

"Maybe so. Shall we test that out?" Shirako challenged. The albino slammed his rapier point down into the broken crystal floor. Latent power swelled from his slender form, and the albino's crimson eyes began to glow with a dangerous light.

Before Shirako could commence his transformation, a massive black claw slammed into the ground just in front of him. The albino froze and looked up to see Silvarion's head hanging in the air just above him.

"_I believe the point has been made, Shirako. Cease your fight here, for we have more pressing matters to attend to," _the dragon intervened, his alien mind pressing against theirs. Shirako flinched as the dragon's mind entered his.

"What is so important, dragon, that you find it necessary to interrupt my fight?" the albino snapped. Silvarion lowered his head so that his snout was level with the General.

"_Palamecia is on the verge of an assault. The humans have returned in force to reclaim their capital, along with several machines the likes of which I have never seen." _The dragon informed them all. The Emperor sighed, and returned to his throne, relaxing on the crystal chair.

"Time," Mateus uttered softly, raising his pale hand. As the Generals watched, the entire area began to change. The broken shards of crystal floated up from the floor and fitted together, reforming into the structures that had been destroyed by their fight. The floor reconstructed itself where it had been shattered, until the top floor of Pandemonium looked exactly as pristine as it had when it first formed. Satisfied, the Emperor lowered his hand.

"Shuryo." The General raised his head upon being addressed, and then leapt to the floor from the crystal structure where he and the other Generals had been standing. "This army must have a leader of some sort. Take the Silent and destroy him utterly."

"Right away," Shuryo replied smartly, just before his form disappeared into the air.

"Silvarion. They are likely to send more of those metal birds with the breath of fire. Lead your dragons and destroy them," Mateus ordered. The enormous dragon immediately took off, the wind from his wings cascading across the other Generals like a gale. Silvarion soon disappeared from sight, leaving Tsumire, Shirako, and the Overseer.

"My Overseer, you are to lead our Shadow Knights. Do not underestimate the new weapons of the humans. I would be most…displeased if I must resummon you from Hell on account of carelessness."

"Understood, my lord. They will not withstand me," the beast summoned his warhammer, and jumped off of the roof, sailing down through the air before being lost from sight in the cloud layer.

"Shirako. Their show of force at the front gates is more than likely a diversion. I expect a group of commandos to attempt to infiltrate Pandemonium while the bulk of our forces are engaged in combat. Take a contingent of Shadow Knights and reinforce the perimeter. If I am correct, crush them." Mateus commanded his General. His eyes narrowed upon giving the order, slightly worried that the albino would do as he did before, and not follow any of his orders. Shirako's red eyes met his own, and they exchanged a silent battle of wills. Finally, the albino bowed, inclining his head.

"Very well, my lord. I shall do as you ask, until such time that I may test your true strength." With that, Shirako snapped his fingers, and a shimmering portal of blue electricity formed next to him. He walked inside it and disappeared from view. Seconds later, the portal dissipated.

"What shall I do, my lord?" Tsumire spoke up impatiently, annoyed that she was the last one to be addressed.

"You have a much more important task to complete. Travel to each of the major cities in Mercadia, and gather intelligence on them. I want to know the strength of their armed forces, location of their supply lines, and other information pertinent to conducting an attack. Do not engage them just yet."

"Understood, my lord." Tsumire acknowledged her order with a nod, and then she sank through the ground as if it were water.

The Emperor was left alone in his throne room. He rested his cheek on his clenched fist and kicked back in his chair, curious to see how the fight would play out. With a wave of his hand, a glowing silver disk appeared in midair. Displayed upon the surface of the disk was an aerial view of Palamecia, showing him the location of all of the allied and enemy forces through a series of pulsing dots. The buildings shown were rendered translucent and outlined in yellow, so that he could see the interior of each and every building.

Silvarion and his dragons were represented by red dots. Mateus could see them mobilizing in the air just outside of the main tower of Pandemonium. Shirako and his Shadow Knights were white, which the Emperor deemed appropriate considering the General's nature. They were doing as he ordered, clustering on the bottom floors of Pandemonium, where the entrances were located.

Tsumire was a blinking pink dot. She was moving away from Pandemonium at a blinding speed, and soon she disappeared from the map. The Overseer and his forces were green dots, though the Overseer himself was more of a lime green. There were thousands of these green dots arranged in neat ranks behind the Overseer, and they moved slowly towards the edge of the city. Shuryo and the Silent were black. As he had ordered, they were stealthily moving along the flank of both armies.

Finally, the humans were indicated by cyan dots. There were thousands of them. Some of the dots were larger than others. Intrigued, the Emperor waved his hand, and the display zoomed in on the enemy forces. As he had expected, there were tons of humans carrying those metal contraptions that spat metal, which appeared to be their main form of combat. However, the giant metal boxes covered in weaponry were a new sight to him. They appeared dangerous, as the Emperor had never seen so much armor on any one thing.

The landscape surrounding the city was fairly mountainous. On the eastern edge of the city were the docks, where the fishermen parked their boats and sold their wares. A seemingly endless ocean extended from that shore. To the Emperor's surprise, more cyan dots were traveling across the water towards the city. He zoomed in upon them to see massive boats, bristling with weaponry similar to ballistae. Some of the boats were smaller and lightly armed, but were carrying hundreds of human soldiers. The Emperor smiled with amusement when he realized that they were trying to flank him. He quickly relayed to Silvarion through their mental link of this new situation.

"_Understood. I will contact the Overseer at once," _was Silvarion's reply.

Surrounding the city on all other sides were mountains, though the Emperor could see tunnels cut through certain areas of the mountains so their vehicles could pass through. He could see more of the metal birds dropping off other soldiers on high hilltops. The Emperor was slightly confused. They didn't seem to be carrying longbows, so he was clueless as to what they could be doing up there.

The humans appeared to be putting in a huge amount of effort in order to retake their homeland. The Emperor didn't think he would have to fight himself, as he trusted in the power of his Generals.

* * *

The human encampment was located atop a sizeable plateau at the back of the army. It consisted of a series of large tents, and was surrounded by wicked barbed wire to deter attack. 50 caliber machine guns were mounted behind sandbag formations at regular intervals around the camp, each one manned with a soldier. Two tanks, colored black and emblazoned with the sign of the Magister's Court, were parked on either side of the center tent. Countless covered jeeps armed with 50 caliber machine guns sat silent, ready to be manned at a moment's notice.

Inside the center tent were several stern looking individuals. Sgt. Ferlis and Commander General Lyrin were among them, standing around a table with a map of the capital in front of them. Instead of wearing his Commander General uniform, Lyrin was wearing a tight black suit with the Magister's symbol on the chest. Holstered at his side were two powerful magnum pistols. Also at his waist was sheathed a broadsword, with the other soldiers glanced at occasionally with veiled surprised and confusion. After all, this was the future, not the medieval times.

According to emergency wartime procedures, the death of the Magister required the one next on the chain of command to assume the office. While the Vice Magister should have taken charge after Torvan's death, he had been in the Magister's Mansion during the Emperor's first appearance, and had plummeted to his death along with the rest of the staff. The chain of command continued down a line of dead, until it at last rested upon Lyrin himself.

"Magister, we need to increase our air presence. Remember the fiends that destroyed the aircraft during the first battle?" one of the men standing next to Lyrin spoke up.

"We should make our sea front stronger. Give us enough anti-air, nothing will be able to prevent us form bombarding that accursed castle into oblivion!" suggested another man, his thick finger prodding the map just east of the capital.

Men continued to bark suggestions at Magister Lyrin, until at least the man cut across them all with a wave of his hand. They all went silent, their eyes resting upon the youngest man ever to rule the country.

"I appreciate your suggestions, but I believe that our highest chance of success relies upon the infiltration team," Lyrin finally said, and then gazed pointedly at the group of men standing on the far side of the tent.

Sgt. Ferlis was among this group, selected by Lyrin on account of his loyalty and unyielding combat skills. Standing beside him was Captain Raul, one of the only survivors of the initial attack. However, neither of them were the leader. The one appointed to lead the commandos was a member of the Church of Krysan, which was the main religion for the country. The other members of the team did not trust the man, due to the fact that the Church had always held themselves at a standard higher than the usual man, and thus were privy to secrets even the government did not fully understand. However, they did trust Lyrin, who had nominated the man himself.

The man was not particularly tall, only reaching up to Raul's shoulder, who was one of the tallest soldiers on the force. His face was rough and chiseled, and gray stubble covered the lower half of his face. He possessed a sharp nose and a small mouth, which was set in a firm line. His eyes were dark and haunting, wisdom and despair evident in those blue orbs. Neat gray hair covered his smooth scalp, giving away his age. Resting just underneath his bangs was a silver circlet, set with a small ruby.

For clothes, the man wore white robes underneath a set of heavy metal armor that covered most of his body. This was another oddity to the other soldiers, who wore the typical bulletproof vests and rigid cloth that promised protection against other means of attack. However, this man's armor was medieval in nature. Upon the smooth breastplate was engraved a large symbol of a burning sun. Inside the sun were written the opening sentences of the Holy Text, the book that all members of the Church lived by, and preached on a daily basis. Lastly, belted at the man's side was a broadsword identical to Lyrin's. His lack of guns was another source of concern for the other commandos.

"You may count on us, Magister," the older man addressed Lyrin. The Magister nodded solemnly, and then addressed the team.

"Thank you, Father Martin. Now, you must understand. This entire battle can be considered nothing more than a diversion. You must kill the Emperor, for our chances of defeating his army conventionally are slim to none," Lyrin reminded them in an official tone. He glanced over the members that he had chosen for the team with satisfaction. There were five of them, but they were all exceptional members of the army that had received commando training. Suffice to say, each of them were one-man armies. Although the battle had ended in defeat, Raul had taken out a large amount of the enemy forces on his own.

"What about our flanking maneuver, Magister? If we can surround the enemy on all sides and crush their initial defenses, there would be nothing standing between us and Pandemonium," a man dressed in the attire of a high-ranking naval officer interrupted. His name was Admiral Hess, the one in charge of coordinating the naval bombardment and invasion strategy. He looked none to pleased about having his role demeaned.

"If everything turns out as you say, and we are able to get men inside to help Father Martin, then all is well and good. However, I think you underestimate the fiends standing between us and that damned castle," Lyrin argued. Hess did not seem convinced, but he grudgingly deferred to the new Magister's judgment.

"Fiends or not, a good bombing strategy would leave Pandemonium in disarray. If we distract their air forces with our fighters, we could strafe their ground forces with bombing runs called in by ground troops," Captain Marhess, the one who had led the air assault in the last battle, pointed out. He pointed his finger at the map of the city, and traced the wide-open streets where the enemies were likely to cluster.

"Good idea, Captain. Just be sure you can handle those cursed dragons," Lyrin reminded the man. "Now, I'll be leading the ground forces from the Command Tank. We need to keep our comm. channels intact, for our land, sea, and air approach will not work without the proper coordination."

The Magister, Hess, and Marhess gathered around the map once more and began animatedly discussing possible strategies and maneuvers that they could use to defeat the seemingly invincible enemy before them. Lyrin had decided that attacking by darkness would be pointless, as he was sure that the demonic entities they were facing would not need to sleep, and thus would be active during all times of the day. Time passed, and soon the sun began to rise.

* * *

"All right. Let's move," Lyrin finally commanded. The camp burst into activity as everyone gathered their weapons and prepared for the assault. Father Martin, Hess, and Marhess saluted and left the camp, followed by Ferlis and Raul and the other commandos.

Outside the command tent, the air was filled with the sounds of roaring machinery, as men hopped into the covered jeeps and zoomed away down the mountainside. Tanks rolled past Lyrin as he strode towards the place that held his own personal vehicle. He didn't plan to use it in battle just yet, but there were plenty of logistical and communicational devices inside the vehicle that allowed him to survey the battlefield and communicate with his subordinates.

Admiral Hess climbed into a powerful attack helicopter equipped with anti-tank, anti-air, and twin Gatling guns for fending off assaults. "I'm off to the waterfront. Wish me luck," he called to Lyrin as he passed by.

"Wait for my signal to begin the attack," Lyrin reminded him. Hess nodded, and then the rotor blades of the helicopter began to spin, sending wind, sand, and bits of rock flying. Soon, it took off, and headed directly towards the ocean.

"Magister. We are heading for the sewers," Father Martin stopped him, along with Ferlis, Raul, and the other commandos. Lyrin nodded.

"Understood. Make haste, and do not attempt to infiltrate Pandemonium until you hear the sounds of battle," Lyrin warned. Martin saluted again, and he led the commandos away.

Lyrin soon passed the impromptu runway where Captain Marhess' personal blackbird jet, which had been heavily modified to include concealed machine-guns and missile pods. It was a stealth fighter, one that had been engineered by Dr. Hinter himself.

Marhess was already climbing up the ladder to the cockpit. Upon spotting Lyrin walking by, he saluted him smartly before climbing in and closing the canopy, while the men moved the ladder away. The sound of plane engines soon added to the cacophony of noises that pervaded the camp.

Lyrin finally reached the area where his Command Tank was situated. As it was much larger than any other ground vehicle in the force, two transport helicopters had airlifted it here. Lyrin had collaborated with Dr. Hinter to create it, and thus it was one of the most advanced vehicles known to man.

It was roughly circular in shape, so that any impacts from shells would have a higher chance to ricochet off of its surface. Three treads lined the bottom of the tank, allowing it high-speed movement and turning. For weaponry, a massive cannon sat atop the large vehicle. Two rotary machine guns were mounted on the front, allowing for extra firepower while the main cannon recharged. Just behind the cannon, two anti-air guns were situated on either side of a powerful missile pod. Because there were too many weapons to be controlled by one human, there was room inside of the tank for two auxiliary gunners, who would sit behind Lyrin as he maneuvered the tank.

Standing in front of the tank were two soldiers, dressed in the uniform designed for vehicle pilots. These uniforms tended to be lighter and less bulky, to allow greater mobility in the cramped interior space. They saluted Lyrin as he approached.

"Come with me. I'll be counting on you," Lyrin ordered. He bent his knees and leapt up the side of the tank. After the first jump, he landed on the first ledge of the tank, where the rotary machine-guns where located. Then, after another leap, he landed on top of the tank. He opened the hatch and slid inside, even as the two soldiers followed him.

Lyrin sat in a rough leather seat situated at the forefront of the interior. His arms were resting on armrests, and on the end of each armrest were two rods, with buttons on the top of each. These were the controls to the rotary machine guns. Three screens were set up in front of him. One, when powered on, would reveal the outside, as well as a crosshair for the main cannon. The other two screens were the sights for the machine guns. A holographic table in front of him would receive information about the battle, and would display a holographic representation of the battlefield, along with the locations of each known unit. Lastly, a metal extension protruded from the edge of the table, with a large red button on it. That was the control for the main gun.

The two soldiers jumped down into the tank behind him, sitting in each of the two seats arranged in a triangular pattern behind him. Once they were in place, Lyrin closed the hatch and powered on the tank.

The screens flickered to life, showing a very detailed HUD for each weapon, including ammunition stores for the machine guns and an energy bar for the main cannon. Unlike other tanks, the main cannon did not shoot projectiles, but was instead a prototype energy cannon that Dr. Hinter insisted was the future of warfare. Therefore it could be fired infinitely, but required time to charge between each shot.

On the table in front of him, a representation of the city appeared, showing the fleet moving towards the main land, the air forces mobilizing, and his men marching towards the city and setting up weaponry for the assault. Satisfied, Lyrin planted his foot on the pedal, and the massive tank began to move. He grabbed the headset that was hanging on the wall near the hatch and placed it over his head. He immediately switched to the main channel and connected to the server.

"This is Magister Lyrin, reporting in. Heading for the main ground front, ETA thirty min, over," he barked into the microphone. He waited for the other commanders to announce their presence.

"Captain Marhess, reporting. Air force mobilized and ready for assault, over," the captain's voice sparked in his ear. Lyrin spotted a flashing hologram of a blackbird appear on the table as the captain uploaded his coordinates.

"Admiral Hess, reporting. All infantry ready for landing. Enemy forces spotted on the shore. Requesting permission to engage, over," was the next voice to respond. Lyrin noted Hess's position, and then watched as several red dots appeared on the map as Hess scanned the shore for the enemies. They all seemed to be ground units, mixed with a few air units. Lyrin ground his teeth. The Emperor didn't seem to be taking them seriously.

"Negative Admiral. Wait just a little longer, over," Lyrin ordered. He waited until he heard a confirmation of his order until he relaxed.

After a half hour passed, Lyrin finally caught up the main ground force. Several heavy tanks rolled beside him, while thousands of soldiers marched in unison in the space between them. As they neared the city, Lyrin was able to zoom in and see the enemy waiting for them.

Dragons wheeled through the air, and Lyrin noted with some dismay that one of the dragons was larger than anything he'd ever seen, rivaling the size of a large hill. Lyrin inputted the coordinates of the large dragon into the holographic table, so that the other commanders would now know where to expect it.

In the suburban areas of the city, Lyrin could see the black armored knights waiting in organized ranks for them, their blades held upright and their shields gleaming. He could not see the one Raul had described, the Overseer. That wasn't a good sign.

Some of the soldiers began setting up mortar cannons, allowing the other soldiers and tanks to progress past then. Lyrin made sure to input the coordinates of each mortar placed. These mortars would be useful until the main bulk of the army reached the city, and then they would be forced to stop firing in order to avoid casualties.

"Ground forces in place. Enemies in sight," Lyrin alerted the other commanders. "All units engage at will." The moment those words left his mouth, the battle for Palamecia began.

* * *

The Overseer stood atop one of the larger buildings, just beyond the boundaries of the suburban area. Hammer in hand, he watched as thousands of dark warriors marched through the streets to the suburbs, where the bulk of the human forces were expected to attack.

He looked up to see Silvarion and his dragons mobilizing, preparing to defend against the air threat that they all knew was coming.

The Overseer felt a presence in his mind, and he lowered his mental defenses to allow to presence inside. Silvarion's alien mind soon filled his, and he began to receive information about the locations of the most likely threats. He learned about the presence of a particularly large metal box of some sort joining the enemy. The Overseer brought up the possibility that the box could be the leader. Silvarion seemed to agree, and the dragon soon relayed that information to Shuryo. The assassin then altered his course promptly.

"Silvarion. Are you able to oversee operations here on the Suburb front?" The Overseer asked the dragon mentally. Over the course of the battle preparations, the Generals had begun to refer to different parts of the city by different names. The location where the bulk of the battle would take place was called the Suburb Front, as the landscape was mostly residential buildings that didn't reach above three stories. Pandemonium, the plaza, and the surrounding skyscrapers were considered to be in the City Core. Everything surrounding that was referred to as the Outer City. Lastly, the beaches where the human fleets were converging were called the Sea Front.

"_I am more than capable of mentally controlling these forces," _Silvarion soon replied. The Overseer nodded, and then leapt an impossible distance to the next building, and then to the next.

"I am on route to the Sea Front. I will not allow Pandemonium to be flanked," the beast explained. Silvarion seemed approving of that idea.

As soon as the Overseer arrived at the beach, where more shadow knights were assembled, he heard a dull booming sound. He looked out into the ocean to see strange cylindrical structures on the larger ships releasing puffs of fire and smoke. The Overseer did not know what to expect until he heard a deadly whistling sound in the air. He grunted and threw himself aside.

The ground where he had been standing exploded violently, sending sand and shrapnel flying. He grunted as bits of metal bounced off of his tough skin, leaving small bruises there. More projectiles launched from the ships slammed into the ground at staggered intervals, smashing into the ranks of the knights and annihilating those unlucky enough to be directly hit.

"Long range assaults…cunning humans," the Overseer growled. Then, in the distance, he could hear even more explosions and the barking sounds of gunfire. A wolfish grin crossed his face.

The battle for Palamecia had begun.

* * *

So, it seems like I just laid the groundwork for one hell of a battle, while at the same time introducing a ton of original characters. All of the Generals are original. Now, allow me to mention that I took influence from real world combat tactics, as well as knowledge of military weapons to make the upcoming battle seem as realistic as possible.

I originally planned for the human war to be really quick and just have the Emperor murder them all, but then I started falling in love with my original characters, such as Raul and Lyrin, and I want the human race to make a good stand this time. Those of you who like hurt and comfort stories, this story is not for you. From here on, it will likely be non-stop battle.

**fadedsolitude28**: I noticed you changed your profile picture. Epic Emperor picture is epic. But indeed, I planned from the start for the Emperor to take over. Let the tyranny begin!

**Justyoumi**: OMG, so many questions lolz. All right, here goes. Yes everyone in this story is OC except for the Emperor and the other villains. As for the cameraman, I'm thinking he won't take a prevalent role, but he will be there to record the most important events so that Eric and Rose have a reason to be in this story. They are like, the reaction characters, being the embodiment of how the people of the country feel about the world they know coming to and end.

**Mjlaub**: Maybe. I'm not sure about using the Cosmos warriors just yet. It wouldn't make sense in a villain centric story, but you can be assured that if I do use them, they won't be killed off. I love all of them, and I am too much of a Terra fanboy to even THINK of harming a hair on her head. XD

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	6. The Battle for Palamecia II

Surrounding Palamecia on all sides other than the ocean were mountains, which served to bathe the city in shadow for a good quarter of the day, as the sun moved towards its zenith.

In the foothills of a particular mountain, near where Magister Lyrin had set up the command tent, one could find the remnants of an old water treatment plant.

A long time ago, the sewage from Nieman, as it had been called then, was directed to several different plants identical to this one. The run-down old plant was bypassed later on, when city planners had discovered a way to conserve energy by redirecting the sewage to closer plants to be treated. Once the polluted water stopped coming to the plant, it had fallen into the state it was in now, as its owners abandoned it to nature.

It had been lying there, decomposing, for many years, undisturbed by mankind. However, that had changed in the wake of the massive battle occurring in Palamecia that very moment. Five men trudged up the foothills towards the abandoned plant, heavily armed and ready for battle.

Captain Raul and Sergeant Ferlis walked in silence behind Father Martin, filled with unease at the structure that was splayed out before them. The metal had long since rusted, and now ivy and mold covered much of the run-down structure.

Raul, as opposed to earlier when he was equipped with a rifle and a pistol, chose to outfit himself with a custom set of weapons orienting more towards close combat. His primary weapon, which he now held with both hands as he marched behind Father Martin, was a Benelli M4 shotgun, equipped with a flashlight extension. It was the weapon that he had trained with the most in commando training, and thus the captain had a strong attachment to the weapon. Holstered at his side were two M1911 Colt handguns.

His belt was heavily outfitted with useful equipment, consisting of several fragmentation grenades, plastic explosives, and spare ammo for his weapons. Lastly, a seven-inch serrated combat knife was sheathed in his chest-plate, for easy access.

Raul glanced nervously around the abandoned water treatment plant, looking for any sign of movement. He stepped over the trunk of a fallen tree, which was protruding from the metal wall where it had broken through during some long past storm.

Ferlis was more of the standard soldier, yet his equipment was far from being ordinary. Clenched in his hands was an XM29 assault rifle, one of the most advanced rifles ever created. The company that created them dropped the project due to several problems with the prototype, and thus the plans had been lost for a very long time. Fortunately, Dr. Hinter had discovered them, and modified them into a incredibly accurate machine gun, outfitted with thermal and night vision sights and a firing rate of 800 bullets per minute. Thanks to Raul's recommendations, Ferlis had his XM29 outfitted with armor piercing rounds, as normal bullets would do very little against the Emperor's shadow knights.

At his side was holstered a Beretta 93R machine pistol along with ample ammunition supplies for both the pistol and the assault rifle. Like Raul, Ferlis also had a combat knife of identical model sheathed in his chest-plate.

Ferlis walked beside Raul, very little of his emotions showing on his face. He constantly poked his rifle into every corner, looking for any sign of danger.

The two men walking behind them, named West and Rolf, could be described as being a sniper and a demolitions expert, respectively. Their presence balanced out the combat party, though what Father Martin could do was a mystery. All the man seemed to have as a weapon was the sword belted at his side, which the soldiers believed would be woefully ineffective against the knights, who excelled at close range combat.

Finally, Martin stopped them with a gesture at the broken down entrance to the plant. Ferlis and Raul glanced at the man curiously and waited for his orders.

"Once we're inside, I want everyone to split up. There should be a series of floodgates and channels somewhere inside, and splitting up would save time," Father Martin commanded. The man waited until he received confirmation from the men before he tried the door.

The older man's face creased into a frown when the door did not budge. He pulled harder on the handle. A rusted creaking sound was heard, and then the handle snapped off in his hand, crumbling into pieces in his gauntleted hand.

"If I may, sir. My demolitions are perfect for this situation," Rolf piped up eagerly, holding up a block of C4. Martin shook his head angrily.

"That would be perfect, if you wanted to bring the whole place down!" Martin snapped angrily, causing Rolf to blanch and step back, replacing the C4 back on his belt. The older man unsheathed his broadsword from his belt and held it before him. "I'll handle this."

Raul and Ferlis watched in awe as Father Martin let out a yell, and sliced the door in half, shattering the old metal into rusty shards.

"Huh. Guess he's stronger than he looks," Raul whispered to Ferlis, who nodded mutely, but otherwise ignored the captain.

Without the door in the way, the team passed through the dark entrance and entered the plant proper. They split up as Martin had decreed in order to cover more ground.

Raul's grip tightened on his shotgun. With his finger, he flipped on the flashlight attachment. A bright white circle of light appeared on the ground in front of him. He swept the beam of light around, illuminating the interior of the rusted plant.

In this manner, Raul made his way forward, soon parting ways from West, who had traveled with him for a time. His flashlight revealed various machines whose functions he could not fathom. They were rusted over and inoperable, undisturbed for who knew how long.

He gave these machines no more than a cursory glance, instead looking for the floodgates that Martin had told him about.

"Southern wall clear," Rolf's voice crackled in his ear, courtesy of the headsets issued to them. Raul kept moving, satisfied that the floodgates must be in the northern wall then.

"Eastern wall clear," West declared next. Raul kept moving, until eventually he came across a series of furrows in the ground, leading all the way forward into the darkness. His flashlight alighted on the furrows, and he was rewarded with the sight of light reflecting off of damp concrete, indicating the presence of stagnant water.

Raul continued forward, following the furrows until they stopped at the far wall, terminating at a large rusted floodgate. A grin crossed the captain's face, and he reached up to his headset and pressed two fingers to it.

"Floodgate located, northern wall, close to eastern wall," he alerted the other commandos. He soon heard confirmations from them in his headset, and soon they joined him by the floodgate.

"We need to get this open," Father Martin declared. "The old sewer entrance should be just beyond this gate."

"Want to slice it open again?" West remarked. Rolf found that particularly funny, but both of them quailed at the look they received from Martin.

"Don't be foolish. This floodgate was designed to withstand several tons of pressure. No simple sword could break through this," the older man snapped at them.

"There's a wheel over here," Ferlis pointed out. The commandos looked to see a spool-like structure with a wheel on top. Handles on the wheel allowed for easy turning. A chain extended from the bottom of the wheel and traveled all the way to the top of the floodgate. Martin nodded, and then he and Ferlis attempted to turn the wheel.

However, due to its extreme age and accumulated rust, the wheel would not turn even an inch, no matter how hard they pushed. In fact, when Ferlis pushed particularly hard, the handles snapped off.

"Demolitions it is. Rolf?" Raul determined. Martin looked annoyed at someone else giving the orders, but he didn't argue. Rolf jogged over to the floodgate, hopping into the depression in the floor. The commando grimaced in disgust as his boots sunk ankle deep into old, stagnant sewage water.

"Stand back," Rolf warned them. He pulled a block of C4 off of his belt and planted it directly in the center of the floodgate. He seemed to ponder for a moment, and then he placed another block next to the first for good measure. The commando grabbed the detonator from his belt and moved back towards Raul, who stepped aside to allow him room. "Cover your ears."

Everyone moved a safe distance away from the floodgate, taking cover behind the machinery in case any shrapnel was propelled in his direction. One Rolf was behind cover as well, he flipped open the detonator and pressed the button.

Even with his hands covering his ears, Raul heard a dull roar, followed by the sound of metal fragmenting and hitting the ground. Once the noise died away, he looked up to see that a jagged hole had been blown in the floodgate, revealing the blackness beyond.

"Good work. Let's go. The sooner we cleanse the Emperor, the sooner Mercadia will be at peace," Father Martin ordered. Raul raised an eyebrow at his word choice, exchanging glances with Rolf.

Once the group had climbed through the hole and into the revealed tunnel, darkness obscured them, leaving them in pitch darkness, save for the small circle of light that emanated from Raul's shotgun.

"Lights," Martin whispered. Obligingly, Ferlis switched on the flashlight on his gun. West and Rolf did the same. The passageway was then bathed in soft white light, revealing an old and decrepit stone path. They could dimly hear the sound of running water in the distance.

"We've got some miles to traverse before we reach the city. Come on. We don't know how long our forces can distract them," Martin finished. The commandos progressed further into the sewers, heading directly for Pandemonium.

The outcome of the entire battle rested entirely upon their shoulders.

* * *

"_All units engage at will," _came Lyrin's distinct words from the radio. Captain Marhess, flying several hundred meters off of the ground in his blackbird, allowed himself a small grin at this. Now was his chance to make up for the defeat he had suffered last time. This time, he knew what to expect.

"Winged Brigade, forward. Pick your targets and fire at will!" Marhess barked into the comm., addressing the other aircraft in the force. He heard multiple confirmations from the other pilots, even as he gunned his engines. He felt the slight drop in his stomach as his blackbird zoomed forward, followed by the other jets closely.

Marhess switched on the HUD, and several informative lines, numbers and a crosshair for his machine guns appeared on the glass canopy. The captain grasped the stick firmly and pushed forward, increasing his speed.

The dragons soon spotted their advance, and they oriented themselves in an offensive formation, their jaws opening in inaudible roars. They flew directly towards Marhess and the Winged Brigade brashly. The captain eyed their advance with a grin. They were being reckless, zooming straight towards his formation like that. They more than likely were underestimating him, due to their previous victory over him. Marhess was determined not to let them get the jump on him this time.

The HUD beeped slightly as the first dragon entered his range. An empty green circle appeared on the dragon, with numbers next to it indicating the distance and altitude of the dragon. A larger diamond enclosed the circle, slowly getting smaller as Marhess oriented the crosshairs onto the dragon and held them there. Finally, the diamond became smaller than the circle, and then it locked into place with a beep.

"Target locked. Take this!" Marhess shouted, and then he pressed one of the buttons on the stick. On the outside of the blackbird, a whirring sound could be heard. Two panels near the back of the jet slid back, and two slender missile pods emerged, orienting on the dragon instantly. With a roar, the pods released their deadly payload, shooting two slim missiles through the air, trailing smoke behind them.

The dragon saw the missiles coming and attempted to wheel away, but the projectiles homed in on it before it could dodge again. They collided with the beast and exploded violently, ripping through the dragon's scales in a shower of blood. The slain beast plummeted through the air towards the city below.

Marhess whooped triumphantly, even as the other members of the Winged Brigade began cheering.

"All right, first blood!"

"Go Captain!"

"These dragons ain't so tough!"

The victory was short lived, as their formations clashed. Marhess was forced to barrel roll away from a raging dragon that oriented on him, narrowly avoiding its vicious claws.

Marhess glanced behind him, noting that the new dragon was just behind him. He began a series of complex evasive maneuvers, but nothing he did would shake the dragon off of his tail.

"On my six!" Marhess roared into the comm., hoping for assistance of some kind. The captain then yelped and dived sharply, ducking underneath the wreckage of one of the jets that had just been annihilated by another dragon.

"I got you, captain!" another pilot spoke, and then Marhess heard the staccato sounds of powerful machine guns. The captain glanced behind him to see the tailing dragon being perforated by the aforementioned weapons. The jet responsible traveled alongside Marhess for a while before breaking off to engage a trio of dragons that were wreaking havoc on the air forces.

"We need to clear a path for our bombers to get through!" Marhess barked out as he reoriented his blackbird to view the field. He winced, seeing a vicious struggle between his jets and the dragons. As he watched, he saw three jets team up on one dragon, killing it easily, and then two more dragons managed to take out one of the jets.

Neither one of them were gaining any progress towards the other, yet Marhess knew he has less men than the Emperor had dragons. If they didn't do something soon, they would run out of men and be overrun.

Marhess noticed three dragons heading towards him, intent on taking him out. His eyes bulged, and he cursed profusely as one of the dragons released a searing torrent of flames from its maw. The captain jerked the stick to the right, and he grimaced as the force of his sharp turn slammed into him. Thankfully, he managed to avoid the flames, but he had to dive again to dodge the gnashing jaws the second dragon. The third dragon swooped and doubled back, so that Marhess found himself flying right into its jaws. The grin returned to his face.

"Bad idea, dumbass!" Marhess taunted, and then he squeezed the trigger. On the outside of the jet, two Gatling guns emerged from hidden panels on the underside of the jet. They immediately began firing, spitting out metal at an astonishingly high rate.

The dragon obviously hadn't expected such a thing, and the bullets shredded the creature's hide and pierced through to the vitals, and the dragon plummeted to the ground, dying. Marhess clenched his teeth and jerked back on the stick, so that his jet zoomed forward and executed a backwards flip, so that he was flying upside down in the opposite direction. As he had expected, there was a dragon heading straight for him.

He twisted the stick and pulled the trigger, and his jet began rotating back to normal while firing the Gatling guns at the same time. That dragon soon succumbed to its wounds.

The last dragon that had assaulted him earlier was now upon him. Marhess saw it opening its jaws, and his eyes widened. "SHIT!" he yelled. Second later, the dragon released a searing inferno from its maw. Unfortunately, as Marhess hadn't expected such a quick attack, he couldn't dodge in time.

Marhess twisted the stick sharply, but he couldn't stop the flames from roasting one of the flaps on the back of his jet. The cockpit began flashing with a red light and beeping furiously, and his flight path began wobbling dangerously.

"Captain, are you all right?" a pilot's voice asked anxiously through Marhess's comm. Marhess found himself unable to answer as he struggled to stabilize his jet before the dragon attacked again.

He pushed buttons and flipped switches at an astonishing rate, activating every work around he could think of to keep his bird in the air. Thankfully, the damage hadn't been too extensive, but it was much harder to fly right with a melted flap.

A roar caught Marhess's attention, and he looked out the windshield to see the offending dragon coming at his flank to finish him off. The captain gritted his teeth and pushed down on the stick, so that his jet dived downwards to avoid the attack. He cursed when he noticed the dragon following behind him.

"Captain, you've got a dragon on your six. I'm on my way!" Marhess heard another pilot chime in. He acknowledged with a grunt, and focused instead on dodging the blasts of flame sent his way by the dragon.

A few moments later, Marhess saw several missiles slam into the fiend's side and explode, killing the frustrating beast.

"Thanks. Everyone form up and prepare for a second assault!" Marhess barked into the radio. He didn't wait for acknowledgement, instead flying back towards the main cluster of allied jets. He managed to take out a few more dragons with well-aimed bursts of machine-gun fire on the way.

Marhess's jet met up with the majority of the remaining planes, reforming into an offensive position. The dragons did the same, seeming smarter than the beasts the pilots took them for. Marhess quickly came up with a plan in the short moments they had before the dragons assaulted them once more.

The captain split the air forces into two divisions. He assigned the larger one to attack the dragons head-on, and the smaller one to guard the bombers. The bombers were starting to move towards the city now, guarded by the smaller division of jets.

When the other dragons noticed the bombers moving closer, they zoomed to the attack, only to be met by the larger division of jets, led by Marhess himself.

With this plan, the bombers managed to make it to the city, just above where the army of dark knights was gathering for the assault. Once there, they began to release their deadly payload. Explosions wracked the city, smashing into residential buildings and annihilating large amounts of demonic knights.

Marhess and his jets were tearing the dragons apart, as the beasts seemed to be rushing to save their ground troops, and thus exposing their backs to the humans. That decision was their downfall. Everything seemed to be going well in the air.

It didn't last long. Marhess allowed a grin to cross his face when he accurately blasted a group of dragons out of the air with a missile barrage. He was about to unload his machine guns when a shadow fell over him. Marhess wrinkled his brow and looked up. That can't be right, there wasn't much of cloud cover today, so what was…

"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" was Marhess's eloquent response to the colossal dragon that soared the air and entered the battle. With scales of black and eyes of emerald green, the captain knew he wasn't dealing with a simple dragon. Plus, his blackbird was dwarfed by its massive size.

One of its green eyes oriented on his plane as he flew by, and then Marhess began to feel the strangest sensation. It was like something else other than his own thoughts was in his mind, like some otherworldly presence had taken up residence in his head. Marhess cringed and tried to force it out, but to no avail.

"_Human. Your machines are beginning to become a nuisance. I, Silvarion, will crush all of you myself!" _a deep male voice boomed in his head. Marhess wanted to clap his hands to his ears to ward off the loud voice, but he couldn't take his hands off the stick.

The captain didn't loiter around long, and he twisted his blackbird in midair and began pumping round after round from the Gatling guns at the giant dragon, whose name was apparently Silvarion.

"All fighters on me, now! Take it down!" Marhess practically screamed into the comm. The captain watched in horror as Silvarion twisted its neck towards the bombers that were peppering the enemy ground forces and released a wave of black energy. The energy washed over the bombers like the tide, and Marhess let out a gasp when the metal from each plane melted and dripped to the ground, along with the bones of the pilot that had been inside.

The other fighters disengaged from their individual skirmishes and strafed past Silvarion, unleashing every once of weaponry they possessed into the massive dragon, but none of it seemed to have any effect. The dragon pumped its wings, giving it some extra altitude, and then it turned in midair and swept its tail in a vicious arc, destroying any jet unlucky enough to be in its path.

"Curse you!" the captain roared, and he released all of the missiles left in his arsenal at Silvarion's middle. He laughed in triumph when every last one of them hit, but his expression soon turned to shock when the smoke cleared and revealed a completely unharmed Silvarion.

The dragon seemed to grow irritated. It turned, its emerald eyes flashing with malice. Time seemed to slow down to the captain, and the claw that was zooming through the air towards him appeared to be moving in slow motion.

Sweat poured down Marhess's face, drenching his collar. His heart pounded in his chest as the claw drew closer and closer to his plane. At the last second, he grabbed the stick and jerked it all the way to the right. A split second later, the captain felt a bone jarring vibration course through his blackbird, and then the entire cockpit began flashing with alarm lights and the horizon began to spin in his windshield.

Marhess's teeth ground together as his plane went out of control. He felt a breeze on his back, and it suddenly became slightly harder to breathe. He turned his head to see open air. With shock, he realized that his plane had been slashed cleanly in half.

The ground drew closer and closer to him, and he felt that his life was flashing before his eyes. He had to act quickly, or he too would join the list of casualties. At the last second, Marhess slammed his fist onto a yellow button, and then the bottom of the cockpit shot out, and his chair ejected, along with himself.

He plummeted down through the air and watched as the wreckage of his precious blackbird spiraled down to the ground and impacted there, exploding violently.

Marhess grunted and released the parachute, his stomach lurching when his momentum slowed to near nothing. He looked upwards to see Silvarion annihilating his Winged Brigade, without taking a single injury in the process.

Unable to do anything to help his men, Marhess clenched his fists and screamed his frustration and sadness to the heavens.

* * *

Admiral Hess stood on the deck of the largest destroyer in the Magister's naval fleet, a smirk present on his face. He had never felt more confident than he did right now, as he watched his battleships tear into the enemy ground forces with their long-range cannons.

He almost laughed as he watched the shadowy knights scurrying about and trying to avoid the shells. Hess let a confident grin stretch across his face. The Magister should have trusted him with more ships and men, as he was certain that his strategy was the best. There was nothing the Emperor's forces could do to his fleet.

Even when the dragons stationed there at the Sea Front attacked en masse, it was a simple matter for the multitude of anti-air guns to make quick work of them. The troop transports that were filled with infantry were heading ever closer to the shore, and there was nothing to impede them.

"Destroy them all," Hess said to himself more than anyone else, since everyone around him was busy shuttling ammo to the long-range cannons. He scanned the shore, watching the enemy die in droves from the high-powered shells. However, his eyes narrowed when he noticed a familiar figure running down the beach towards the water.

It was the Overseer. Hess recognized him from the video broadcasted from Torvan's ill-fated speech. With his hammer in hand, the Overseer appeared to be heading for the nearest troop transport. Hess smirked. There was no way the Overseer could reach the transport from that distance, even if he were to jump.

Unexpectedly, the Overseer did jump, and his powerful leg muscles propelled him far across the water. The beast landed in the transport with a crash, swinging his hammer viciously and killing anyone nearby. Hess's eyes went wide at the carnage, but he wasn't overly worried. It was just one transport, and even as the Overseer continued to kill everyone around him, the other transports were passing him by and drawing closer to the shore.

Hess sighed. He didn't want to kill his own men, but it seemed that no matter what he did, the men on the transport with the Overseer were doomed. Therefore, the Admiral ran over to one of the gunners operating the long-range cannons.

"Target that transport!" Hess ordered. The gunner did so without hesitation, orienting the massive cannon directly on the transport where the Overseer was standing. With a loud retort, the cannon fired, propelling its deadly payload through the air.

The Overseer heard the whistling sound of the approaching shell and looked up, frustration stamped on his face. There was nowhere for him to run on that small of a ship. The beast roared a split second before the transport exploded from the impact. The vessel fragmented, sending scrap metal and the eviscerated bodies of the unlucky passengers flying through the air.

Hess gazed intently at the sinking vessel, his eyes peeled for any sign of the Overseer. When the smoke cleared, there was nothing left but reddened waters and floating debris. The Overseer was nowhere to be seen.

Hess laughed triumphantly, stepping forward. He raised his arms, heralding the site of his victory. He laughed like a man deranged, believing that he had destroyed the only threat to his fleet in one swift strike.

"All troops disembark! Eliminate the enemy and proceed to Pandemonium!" Hess ordered. Two fingers were pressed to his ear, allowing his words to reach the communication device there. The highest-ranking individuals in each of the transport vessels that had at last reached the shore received his orders.

* * *

The transports reached the shore at approximately the same time. The vessels slid up onto the sand. The front of each vessel opened and ramps extended to the beach. Soldiers streamed from the vessels, rifles in hand and eager to fight.

Now that friendly units were on the beach, the bombardment from the fleet ceased, instead focusing their firepower on the remaining dragons that had chosen to fruitlessly assault them.

The shadowy warriors that formed the Emperor's army began to reform their lines, now that the fleet did not threaten them. The knights that carried swords formed the foremost ranks, while knights carrying crossbows guarded the multiple staircases that led to the city itself.

Almost immediately after the soldiers emerged from their transports, the knights on the stairs opened fire with their crossbows. Vicious bolts streaked through the air en masse, weaving a deadly tapestry of darkness. These bolts peppered the incoming soldiers, but did not stop their advance.

"Concentrate your fire!" a soldier could be heard shouting frantically as the dark knights wielding swords started to charge down the beach.

"Don't let them get close!" The sound of battle cries could be heard just before the soldiers opened fire with their rifles, raining bullets into the enemy lines like a rain of steel.

While the knights took significant damage from the first volley, their charge was not halted. The soldiers were able to fire off one last volley before the knights engaged them with their dark blades. Rifles were either used equipped with bayonets to fend off assaults, or abandoned in favor of standard issue combat knives. The two sides clashed in a battle of epic proportions, neither side giving ground.

However, the knights on the stairs had finished reloading their crossbows, and were aiming them at the Magister's soldiers. Simultaneously, they fired, the bolts whizzing through the air and punching through the skin and bone of any soldier unlucky enough to be hit. The ranged assault slowed the soldiers' momentum, and the dark knights pushed them back towards the sea. It was clear that they would not be able to withstand many more crossbow assaults.

As the knights began to reload, the sound of a helicopter could be heard. The soldiers not currently engaged in combat looked up to see Admiral Hess's personal helicopter soaring through the air. The two Gatling guns attached to the sides of the helicopter began to spin.

Right before the knights with crossbows fired, two missiles fired from the helicopter slammed into their ranks, annihilating those unlucky enough to be hit directly, and hurling those caught in the splash radius hundreds of feet. Then, bullets from the Gatling guns rained down upon them. The knights were taken off guard, and were forced to contend with this new threat.

Without the crossbow bolts raining down on them constantly, the Magister's army regained their morale, and forced the dark knights back with the ferocity behind their attacks. It seemed that on this front, everything was going to turn out in Hess's favor.

At last, the defensive line of knights was broken, and the human soldiers surged through the breaches and forced the knights into small groups, which were quickly surrounded and systematically exterminated. The landing was a success, and the soldiers were free to enter the city itself.

* * *

Hess laughed like a madman, watching his troops rush up the beach and into the city, heading straight for Pandemonium. Who needed an infiltration team when his superior tactics and technology could easily do the job? Hess had to admit, the dark knights possessed the ability to inflict fear upon their enemies, but once that advantage was taken away, they were nothing but sitting ducks to the humans' superior firepower.

"Admiral Hess! Come in! This is Captain Revern. Something's wrong with the flagship!" a voice sounded in Hess's ear. The Admiral froze.

"I copy, Captain. Elaborate, over."

"She's sitting lower in the water than normal, over." Revern related. Hess scoffed, that was nothing. They had a lot of ammunition on board, so it was only natural that the ship would be sitting low in the water.

"Don't bother me for something so trivial! Tell the crew on the lower decks to redistribute the weight to reduce strain if it bothers you that much, over." Was Hess's irritated response.

"I have, sir. I can't get any of the crew from the lower deck to respond, over." Revern replied. Hess raised an eyebrow, and was about to reply further when Revern began talking again. "Wait, I just lost contact with the crew members guarding the rear magazines…"

Suddenly, a burst of static erupted in Hess's ears, causing him to wince and yank the device out of his ear, as the volume was hurting his eardrums. Almost a split second after that, he heard the roar of a massive explosion, emanating back in the direction of the fleet. Before Hess could turn to look, his helicopter was hit with a wall of rapid wind.

The instruments in the cockpit began to beep widely as the machine wobbled in midair. Hess clutched at the controls so hard that his knuckles turned white, trying to get his aircraft back under control. When he finally managed to look in the direction of the explosion, he almost crashed the copter in shock.

The battleship that he had been standing on not too long ago was now sinking rapidly into the water, flames licking over its surface. Hess was completely unable to fathom how such a thing could have happened. Upon taking another look, he let out a string of colorful oaths and curses.

Standing upon the now vertical bow of the sinking ship was the Overseer. The beast was gazing directly at Hess's helicopter, his hammer clutched in his right claw. Hess began to shake with rage at the loss of his flagship.

"Take that thing down!" Hess ordered at the ships that surrounded his sinking battleship. The other ships obediently oriented their cannons on the Overseer. They weren't able to fire a single shot. The Overseer opened his mouth and spat a massive ball of violet flames at each of the surrounding ships. Upon impact, the fireballs exploded violently, obliterating their targets with ruthless efficiency.

"Why, you!" Hess was enraged beyond words, and he zoomed through the air towards the beast. He squeezed the respective triggers for all of his weapons, releasing a barrage of missiles and bullets down at the Emperor's General.

The Overseer roared, and then an aura of violet flames erupted from around him explosively, destroying what was left of the sinking battleship. He did not fall, however, instead hovering in midair. Then, the beast propelled himself through the air through means unknown to Hess.

Before the Admiral could react, the Overseer was upon him. The beast smashed the side of the helicopter with his massive hammer, crushing the metal and shattering the glass. The copter was sent hurtling through the air and down towards the water.

Hess gritted his teeth, broken glass cutting into his skin. He attempted to regain control of the copter, but he found the controls to be completely unresponsive. He braced himself, and then the copter hit the water.

Seawater gushed into the cockpit, the metal contraption sinking rapidly. Hess took a deep breath, remembering his training. In a situation like this, panicking would cost him his life. He had to wait until the pressure outside and inside the helicopter was the same before opening the doors, otherwise they wouldn't budge.

He sucked in as much air as he could, and then the helicopter was completely enveloped by the water. He released his seatbelt and then went for the door. It opened readily, as he expected, but what Hess didn't expect was the massive hand that plunged into the water and grabbed him by the hair.

None other than the Overseer ripped Hess out of the water. The beast held up the Admiral in front of his feline visage, a mixture between a snarl and a wolfish grin present there. Hess struggled in the monster's grip. Seeing as his arms and legs weren't constrained, the Admiral reached to his side and withdrew a pistol with his right hand, and a combat knife with his left hand. The Overseer didn't even try to stop him as Hess placed the gun directly over his heart and pulled the trigger at point blank range.

Hess watched in shock as the bullet ricocheted off of the beast's crimson skin, leaving nothing but a small welt behind. The Overseer grunted in amusement.

"Now, what will you do next, little human?" the beast asked mockingly. Gritting his teeth in anger, Hess brought the knife forward and attempted to stab the beast in the neck.

Hess watched in shock and horror as the knife blade crumpled and bent against the skin. He dropped the now useless lump of metal, realizing that he was all but helpless before this fiend. The Overseer licked his lips hungrily, saliva dripping from his fangs. Hess realized a second too late what was going to happen to him.

The Overseer lunged forward and bit deep into the Admiral's jugular, leaving the man to gurgle helplessly for a few seconds before he expired in the beast's grip. The Overseer then tore into the man, devouring the Admiral's flesh and drinking his blood.

* * *

The Overseer now stood on the beach, holding one of the former Admiral's bones in one hand, and his hammer in the other.

"I believe the situation at the harbor has been handled," the beast spoke to seemingly no one. However, the Overseer knew he was being heard.

"_Not just yet. Have you forgotten the soldiers sent towards Pandemonium?" _came Silvarion's reply. The Overseer looked down at the beach, which had been a battlefield not too long ago. The dead from both sides littered the reddened sands, a testament to their struggle.

"They're too far away. It's Shirako's problem now," the Overseer replied, shrugging lazily. "I just ate, so I'm feeling sleepy. Can you and Shuryo handle the Suburb Front?" The reply that came back from Silvarion was less than approving.

"_The Emperor would not be pleased to know that one of his Generals was shirking his duty."_

"I'm just going to take a short nap. Besides, these humans are small fry. What can they possibly do?" The Overseer responded irritably, walking up the stairs and into the city, noting that the bodies lining the streets were mostly dark knights. "Well, I have to admit, I'm impressed at their fighting spirit. I didn't think they'd be able to handle our rank and file so well."

"_We have all underestimated the humans. It seems that only we Generals will be able to halt their advance," _Silvarion mused. "_I was forced to put down their air forces myself."_

"Truly? You fought? That's rare. Usually you just fly around and inflict fear upon your enemies. In other words…nothing."

"_As opposed to a certain feline I know, who would rather nap than carry out his duty?"_

"All right!" The Overseer growled, turning back in the direction of the Suburb front. "You made your point. I'm going to take care of them personally, if Shuryo hasn't already taken out their leader."

As the beast leapt to the streets, he heard the sounds of battle raging in the distance.

* * *

Lyrin watched the holographic table intently, his sharp military mind following the movement of thousands of soldiers and vehicles as they trundled towards the battle zone. The battle on the Suburb front was actually going very well for the Magister, as the Emperor's forces simply could not keep up with the technological advantage he possessed.

When the battle had first started, the dark knights had been standing in ranks several scores deep in each possible opening to the city, but they were standing without any form of shelter. Lyrin had realized at that moment that the dark knights possessed no knowledge of their weaponry. This belief was further impounded when the knights took heavy casualties upon the initial bombardment of mortars.

This advantage hadn't lasted long, as the Emperor's forces quickly adapted. The knights discarded their blades in favor of powerful crossbows that possessed about the same amount of force as a typical rifle, though not the same firing rate. Then, they had entrenched themselves in the suburban houses and proceeded to fire out the windows at the Magister's men. Because the houses were not abandoned, civilian casualties were high.

The knights that couldn't get inside the houses dug holes in the ground and took cover in them. Lyrin perceived that his victory would be assured if he could break their lines.

The Emperor's forces had not expected the humans' tanks. Their firepower and armor exceeded anything the knights had, and were decimating the knights whenever they showed themselves. However, this advantage was stalled by the presence of dragons in the sky. Lyrin had noticed not long ago that his air force had been completely annihilated by that huge dragon that he had noticed earlier. Thankfully, Marhess was still in one piece, though the same couldn't be said for his blackbird. After destroying the air force, the giant dragon had retreated back into the city. Lyrin was already running through several plans in his head on how to deal with it if and when it returned.

Now, the Magister's and Emperor's forces were caught in a firefight of attrition, as neither side could gain any progress. Lyrin knew that if this stalemate wasn't ended, the battle would end in their defeat. He simply didn't have the numbers.

Lyrin's attention was drawn to a flashing red light on the roof of the tank. The flashing meant that hostiles were approaching his position. He took another look at the table to see that a dragon was heading his way. Thankfully, it was not the large one.

"Take out that dragon!" Lyrin called back to the two gunners in the tank with him. He heard the two men acknowledge him, and then the tank vibrated as the rotary machine guns roared to life. The guns on his tank were powerful, so it wasn't long before the red light stopped flashing and the dragon disappeared off of the table.

Now that the danger was out of the way, Lyrin's mind returned to contemplating possible strategies and maneuvers that could alleviate the stalemate. He wasn't able to do so for very long until the table showed him something shocking.

On the sea front where Admiral Hess's battleship and the rest of the fleet were engaging the Emperor's forces, everything had seemed to be going well. However, without warning, the indicators for the fleet disappeared one by one. Lyrin immediately opened a comm. channel to Admiral Hess.

"Hess, what's your situation?" Lyrin demanded, watching the fleet disappear right before his eyes. There was no reply from the Admiral. "Admiral Hess, please respond!"

Then, Admiral Hess's battleship disappeared off of the table. Lyrin was shocked, but he didn't let it deter him. He switched the comm. back to the main channel. Then it hit him. He was the only one left out of the three he had designated to lead the assault. Marhess was down, Hess was MIA, and he was currently stuck in a stalemate. Things were not going well.

"Father Martin, what's your status?" Lyrin barked over the comm., hoping that the commandos were still en route to Pandemonium. Thankfully, Martin's gruff voice soon replied.

"Making steady progress. Resistance is minimal, but increasing. ETA twenty minutes," he responded. That was heartening to Lyrin. Now that he had that assurance, Lyrin could focus on the battle.

"All heavy artillery, disregard directive 15," Lyrin ordered. He was rewarded with the sounds of explosions as the mortars began firing directly at the houses where the knights were taking cover. "All units are ordered to push ahead. Raze the suburbs."

He was certain that there were no civilians left in the suburbs, as they would either be dead or hiding someplace safer. Therefore, completely destroying the suburb would make it easier for his troops to move forward.

Lyrin grabbed the metal extension attached to the table and began moving it. As he moved it, the crosshairs on the HUD moved as he wished. He aligned the crosshairs on a particularly large house that was filled with dark knights. The knights were currently raining bolts down on his forces, inflicting heavy casualties.

Lyrin pressed the red button on the extension. The tank shuddered, and then a loud fizzing sound could be heard, followed by a zap.

The main gun on the command tank fired for the first time since the battle had begun. A flash of light emanated from the muzzle of the cannon, and then a thick beam of light streamed forward towards the building Lyrin had targeted. It moved so fast, that even those watching closely would be able to follow the beam's path.

The beam collided with the house. The resulting explosion sent fire and debris hundreds of meters into the air. Wind gusted outwards form the point of impact, and any soldiers that were looking in that direction were forced to cover their eyes from the light. A mushroom cloud of smoke formed from the explosion.

When everything faded away, the house had been vaporized, along with any dark knights that had been inside. With that obstruction out of the way, his forces began surging into the city, demolishing any civilian buildings in their path.

Lyrin watched the holographic table with an indifferent expression, though on the inside he felt a pang of guilt every time he saw a house blink off the map.

Suddenly, something else pinged into existence on the table. He noticed thirteen enemy units flanking his forces, moving directly for him. They weren't dragons, but neither were they dark knights. Then, an almost intangible wave of magical power swept over him, causing the hairs on Lyrin's neck to stand on end. He froze, his hand moving to his broadsword. He was told that this day may come. In fact, Lyrin cursed himself for not taking this into account upon the Emperor's arrival.

"Get ready, men," Lyrin suddenly spoke, gaining the attention of his two gunners. "It looks like the Emperor has finally targeted me personally."

Hundreds of meters away, heading directly for the command tank and accompanied by the specialized demonic force called the Silent, was Shuryo.

* * *

The commandos crept through the dark tunnel, having made it past a barricade set up by the dark knights. Martin had determined from the presence of the dark knights that the Emperor had indeed noticed the existence of this passage, but hadn't really counted on commando units with cutting edge technology.

Raul was particularly impressed with Father Martin. He had suspected that the older man was strong judging by his display at the plant entry, but even that was an understatement. Upon reaching the barricade, the man had deflected each and every crossbow bolt sent his way with the flat of his broadsword, and then charged directly into enemy lines. The man was like a whirlwind of death, slicing through any dark knight unfortunate enough to get in his way. Suffice to say, Raul now saw why Lyrin had given him command of their unit.

Up ahead, Raul spotted an obstruction in the tunnel. As he drew closer, he was able to determine that there had been a cave-in. Concrete and dirt choked the passage, but it didn't seem like it blocked the whole tunnel. There was a small gap in the middle that one man could squeeze through.

Martin stepped forward and pointed at Raul and Ferlis, and then at either side of the gap. Raul nodded in confirmation and went to where he was directed. He pressed his back against the damp concrete, his shotgun clenched tightly in his hands. He peered around the side into the gap, in order to get a better idea of what lay in store for them. A gap like this was the perfect place for an ambush.

The software in Raul's helmet soon detected the presence of several hostiles in the passage ahead, highlighting them in red on his HUD. "We've got hostiles. Impossible to say how many. Mostly blades, few crossbows," Raul alerted the others. Thankfully the helmet he wore was soundproof, so the dark knights could not hear his words. The communication unit embedded in his helmet transmitted his words to the units in his comrades' helmets. It greatly facilitated coordination, which was vital in a commando unit. Martin's helmet was similar, though his looked more archaic in design. It resembled an ancient medieval knight's helmet, only made to a modern technological standard.

"Understood. Raul, Ferlis, pull back. West, Rolf, take their place," Martin swiftly ordered. Raul did as he was told, standing in a position near Martin. Ferlis did the same. When the other two commandos were in position, Martin proceeded. "Rolf, I want remote detonators placed all over that gap. West, pick your target and fire. Play defensively and let them come to us."

Rolf acknowledged the order and immediately started laying charges on the edges and bottom of the small gap. Raul watched him do so, knowing that when those bombs went off, the gap would be much larger. When that happened, it would be his turn.

West unfurled his sniper rifle, braced it against his shoulder, and poked the barrel through the gap. Raul watched the commando bring the scope to his eyes, so that he could line up a target. The captain hadn't actually seen West in action just yet, as Martin and himself had dealt with the only resistance they'd met so far.

With a resounding crack, the rifle in West's hands roared to life, lighting up the dark tunnel briefly with the flash from the muzzle. Raul heard a smash not long afterwards, which meant that West had hit his target. Almost immediately, the clanking sounds of armor could be heard as the dark knights moved to defend against the sudden assault.

"Here they come. Rolf, on my signal." Martin prompted. Rolf motioned for them all to move back. Raul did so, watching the incoming knights closely. There were rather a lot of them, but they were forced to come single file through the gap.

West fell back and threw his rifle aside, drawing his handgun instead. Ferlis knelt down and took cover behind a smaller pile of concrete debris, while Raul leveled his shotgun.

The first dark knight zoomed out of the gap faster than any human, but Raul was able to track his movements. He squeezed the trigger, and the knight's breastplate shattered into pieces, dark blood splattering on the ground behind it. Even as the first knight fell, several more were rushing through the gap behind it, their ebony blades raised high in anticipation for battle.

Ferlis's rifle roared to life from behind his chosen cover, punching through the armor of his targets and killing them swiftly. West did not fire as frequently, but every time his handgun flashed, a knight fell, shot through the helmet.

Even as Raul fired more and more rounds from his shotgun into the ranks of the enemy, their numbers continued to swell. Finally, when the knights were about to reach their positions, Martin signaled Rolf. The commando immediately pressed down the switch on the detonator.

Raul switched off the audio receivers in his helmet so that he didn't have to hear the no doubt deafening explosion that ensued. The gap was utterly obliterated, along with any knights nearby. However, Raul felt the earth under his feet shudder. His heart jumped, and he wondered if Rolf had placed too many explosives.

Sure enough, the entire tunnel around the area of the explosion completely caved in, blocking off the passage forward and crushing all of the enemies not killed by the initial explosion.

"All clear," Rolf declared when the dust settled. Raul sighed, gazing at the bodies of the dark knights strewn everywhere. He noticed that one of the knights was still alive, but its legs were crushed underneath the rubble. It struggled weakly to rise. Martin gazed down at the survivor with disdain, and then crushed its helmet beneath his armored boot.

"It's your call sir. How do we proceed?" Ferlis asked, indicating the now obstructed passage. Martin said nothing, even as he straightened up and faced the rubble.

The man raised his free hand and positioned it so that his palm was parallel to the rubble. A strange light began to form there in front of his palm, pulsing gently. Raul did a double take, wondering if he was seeing things.

"What in the…" West whispered, seeing the light. A split second later, the small orb of light in front of Raul's hand grew into a gigantic beam of light that shot forward and bore into the obstruction. The light from the beam was too bright for Raul to look at, so he covered his eyes and turned away.

"Holy shit, you're a Templar!" Raul heard Rolf scream. The other commando was also shielding his eyes. Raul froze, suddenly understanding. Even he had heard of the Templars.

The Church of Krysan regulated what was probably the sole most practiced religion in the country. Because of this, the Archbishop had so much power that only the Magistrate had authority over him. Although the Church was mostly known for its teachings, it was well known that the Church had its own military sector, funded by the people's tax money. Their foot soldiers tended to be more elite than the rank and file of the Magistrate's army. However, above their foot soldiers was the shadowy organization known as the Templars, a group of elite soldiers that answered only to the Archbishop himself. Said to wield the holy power of light, they were sent alone or in small groups to root out the most extreme evil. Raul had always believed that these rumors were more or less exaggerated, but the display shown to him by Martin completely proved him wrong.

"I don't believe it. Lyrin never said anything about recruiting Templars," Ferlis breathed in awe, gazing at Father Martin with newfound respect, as well as a slight suspicion. Raul was also beginning to feel suspicious.

When the light faded away, the commandos saw that the path was open once more; all of the debris had been completely vaporized by the display of magical power. Martin was already moving on, motioning for the commandos to follow him.

"Wait, sir, a question if you may. I thought that the Church doesn't interfere in matters of state," Raul pointed out. A pause followed his question before Martin finally answered.

"We generally don't. It matters little to the Archbishop who is in control, provided that their decisions do not cost the lives of innocents." Martin began, his pace not slowing. "However, the presence of demonic influences is cause for concern, and thus I am here to analyze the situation, and rectify it if possible."

"That makes sense. Actually, that makes me feel a whole lot better," West remarked. "Think about it. What chance does the Emperor have if we have the Church on our side?"

"Probably none, if the Templars are all as strong as Father Martin," Ferlis answered. Martin grunted in response. Raul felt his spirits rise. With Martin on their side, they probably could kill the Emperor.

* * *

As time passed, the temperature in the tunnel began to slowly rise. It wasn't long before Raul began to sweat. He found that odd, considering the tunnels had been freezing earlier. What was so hot that it was causing the temperature to change so drastically?

Even more unsettling was the red glow that was now filling the tunnels ahead. Something up ahead was lighting the tunnel, and causing the temperature to rise. Raul figured that it must be a furnace of some sort.

"We're almost to Pandemonium. Stay sharp," Martin warned them. Raul nodded, staying close to the Templar.

They moved further, and finally the tunnel came to an end. However, it ended in a way that none of them could have expected.

The tunnel abruptly ended in the side of a huge cliff. Pandemonium hung above them, suspended in midair through some magical means. Looking down, however, Raul saw a sight that would haunt his dreams for years to come.

Down below was a place that could only be described as Hell itself. The commando could see millions of tortured souls writhing in pain in the huge roaring inferno that burned in every corridor, in every nook and cranny. Demonic buildings made of a dark red material rose out of the flames, the twisted architecture causing him to wince. Everywhere he looked, Raul could see pain and suffering.

In the distance, Raul could see a large line of dark knights originating from somewhere deep in the bowels of Hell marching up a crystal staircase that led to the lip of the crevasse, which was in the real world. There didn't seem to be an end to the incredible host of demonic forces. He almost went into shock.

"Raul! Raul!" he heard someone calling his name, but it didn't really register. Then, someone slapped his helmet roughly, jarring him and bringing him back to his senses. He suddenly realized that he had fallen to his knees at some point, his very body and mind rebelling at the things he had seen.

He looked up and saw that Martin was holding out his hand to help him up. Raul took it gratefully, and was hoisted to his feet. "Hang in there, soldier. This is an abomination, but our objectives have not changed. The death of the Emperor will end this blasphemy once and for all." The Templar assured him.

Raul looked at the other commandos to see that they too seemed to be in a daze. He couldn't blame them. They were just humans, and seeing something as surreal and horrible as Hell itself was just too much for their minds to handle.

"This way," Martin ordered, pointing at another crystal staircase that extended from where the tunnel ended and rose upwards in a spiral motion until it reached the base of Pandemonium itself. The team started up the staircase, but Raul quickly grew worried.

"Sir, this seems too convenient. We snuck over here through an abandoned plant through a tunnel that hadn't been used in years, and yet there just happens to be a staircase here that takes us exactly where we want to go?" Raul pointed out anxiously. West and Rolf looked at one another, and then at Martin. The Templar nodded grimly.

"Aye, it seems that the Emperor knows we're here. Stay on your guard. This may be harder than we expected."

"Aw Hell," Rolf cursed, earning a chuckle from West.

"Literally."

* * *

Finally, the group entered Pandemonium itself. For being a fortress from Hell, it didn't really seem like it. Beautiful formations of pink or cyan crystals lined the walls. Even the pillars and walls were made of the same pristine crystal. Raul could not detect even a single flaw in the material.

However, he wasn't here to sightsee. He was more worried about the fact that not even a single dark knight had showed up to meet them.

"Sir, come look at this," Rolf called. The demolitions expert had taken point for a while at Martin's request. At his call, the group met up with him to see the commando standing above the body of a clearly human soldier.

"He's human. What division is he from?" Martin asked, turning to Raul. The commando checked the body's uniform, and easily found the answer.

"The Naval division. This is more than likely one of Admiral Hess's men." Raul replied. Martin scratched his chin, appearing to be deep in thought.

"Well what do you know? Some of his men actually made it through. I wonder if they're fighting the Emperor right now?" West mused.

"I hope they are not. The Emperor is too much for them," Martin interrupted. "Come on, we need to reach the throne room."

"I'm afraid that won't be happening." At that sound of that cold voice, the commandos immediately became fully alert, readying their weapons. Raul was shocked, as none of the dark knights were supposed to talk. Even more shocking was that their voices couldn't be heard outside of their helmets. That said, how did the speaker hear them?

"It came from the chamber ahead," Martin declared. With that, the commandos rushed ahead to confront whoever the speaker was.

The next room contained a spectacle that had them staring in horror. Every single one of Admiral Hess's men that had made it into Pandemonium lay dead on the floor, their bodies mangled beyond recognition. Standing just beyond the carnage was a small group of dark knights. These knights were standing stalwart behind a figure that looked different from every other demon they had fought thus before.

The figure looked human, save for the lack of pigment anywhere on his body. His hair was long and white, and his skin was a similar color. His demonic red eyes oriented on the commandos, and his lips curved into an evil smile. A rapier was belted at his side.

"Greetings gentlemen. I am Shirako, of Mateus's five generals." the man greeted them with feigned politeness. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

* * *

Done! Finally! God, that was really hard to get out for some reason. I mean, it was even straight combat for practically the whole thing, but I still got writers block.

Right, so I have quite a bit to talk about before shoutouts. First, I did some research in guns to accurately describe the weapons of Raul and Ferlis. Those guns are real, even if I may have added a bit of embellishment here and there.

Secondly, I've set up a few fights already. Next chapter will probably be the fight with Shirako and the commandos, and that may take up the whole chapter, and it may not. I won't know until I try. Then comes Lyrin and Shuryo. Marhess and Hess already lost, though at least Marhess kept his life. Poor Hess. That's what he gets for being an ass.

Thirdly, my updates may dry up soon, as life hit me with a brick wall. College related stuff. Pretty much, I need to ace ALL the things, or I will not reach the college I want to. But I won't give up this story, so no need to worry. Now, shoutouts.

fadedsolitude28: Right. This guy (or girl, profile didn't say which .) first. I did like your profile pic. Emperor Mateus is such a boss. Especially when depicted like that. Imagine my joy when I started playing Dissidia 012 and saw that that picture was his alternate outfit number 2. Nerd-gasm. Anyhow, I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.

Justyoumi: Nice, a lot to respond to here! Gotta love open-ended reviews. Yeah, Shirako is about as strong as the Emperor so far, but no, their fight will come later. Then you will find out who is really stronger. All of his generals are original, though I admit some of them were originally created for D&D games. Like the Overseer. But the Overseer fit so well in this story that it just made sense. Same for Silvarion, but he wasn't actually a character. He was actually the final boss in a D&D game when I was the DM. Fun. Longest D&D fight ever. No, Lyrin never died. He was in a separate military base, not in the Magister's building. Also, yes, the Emperor uses Ultimecia's power. He can now use EVERYONE'S power. Notice in the fight against Shirako he used Exdeath's guards, and Cloud of Darkness's particle beams. And for your last question, I got some rain, but nothing serious. I live too far inland.

Tintti: Lastly, there's this guy/girl. He/she wrote me such a nice review that I was inspired to finish this chapter. I love it when my readers get enthusiastic over my stories. But…Y U NO MAKE ACCOUNT SO I CAN REPLY?! Haha, I hope you review again.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	7. Battle of the Generals

Sorry that took so freaking long. I know I have people out there who were clamoring for this chapter. But I had several things going on that prevented me from posting anything. Between college and girl problems, that definitely got in the way.

Anyhow, there is a combination of awesomeness and plot twists down there. Let ALL of the fighting begin!

* * *

Raul did not know what to expect from the strange white demon in front of them. Shirako had identified himself as one of the Emperor's five generals, which meant he would be stronger than the average knight, but weaker than the Emperor himself.

"Father Martin Emerius, Seraphim General from the Church of Krysan," Martin returned Shirako's introduction politely, inclining his head slightly.

"West, find a secluded spot and open fire. Rolf, I want this place turned into a minefield. Ferlis, cover me. I'm going to deal with the dark knights while Martin engages the general," Raul snapped out quick orders. He received short acknowledgements from the other commandos. He heaved a sigh of relief. Although he was not the leader of the squad, the other commandos appeared willing to follow his orders while Martin was distracted.

"Oh? You're from a church? You must despise me utterly," Shirako replied, his smile not diminishing in the least. The dark knights on either side of the general remained completely still as they spoke.

"It is not within my capacity to hate. I will put you down for the sake of the world's stability. That is all," Martin spoke, drawing his blade. His eyes narrowed, analyzing Shirako's appearance and searching for openings.

"Well, aren't you self-righteous? If the world's stability means so much to you, then…" Shirako responded confidently. Then, the general reached down to his side and drew a slim rapier from its sheath. He held it loosely, his stance seeming relaxed. However, there was not a single opening to be seen. "Come at me."

Martin appeared to have heard the challenge, but he did not move at first. Instead, he seemed hesitant to charge, most likely due to the large amount of dark knights that could get in his way.

"What's the matter, _Father?_ I thought you were going to kill me?" Shirako taunted when Martin remained still. The general soon noticed what held the templar's attention. "Oh, are you worried about them? If you feel like they would pose a threat to you, then you are no match for me."

Almost immediately after Shirako finished speaking, there was a loud report, and the helmet of the dark knight nearest to the general completely shattered.

"That's one!" West roared in triumph. The commando was located atop a raised platform of crystal at the back of the room, his rifle braced against the floor and his eye peering into the scope. As the dark knights moved to deal with the new threat, a grenade landed in their midst, courtesy of Rolf. "Fire in the hole!" the commando shouted, and then the explosive detonated. Any nearby dark knights were caught in the explosion, their armor rupturing and their bodies disintegrating.

"Martin! You focus on the general!" Ferlis called to the templar, firing his rifle into the group of remaining dark knights. Raul was assaulting the same group from the left flank. A battle cry ripped from his throat, and he charged into them, his shotgun emitting constant bursts of death from its muzzle.

Almost as if on cue, Shirako zoomed out of the dust kicked up by the explosion. His arm was crossed in front of him in preparation for a swing. Martin grunted, and brought his sword forward, to block. Their blades collided, and a wave of concussive force erupted from the impact. The crystal floor cracked under their feet from the sheer amount of magical strength emanating from both combatants.

That was only the first strike, however, and was soon followed by dozens more. Martin and Shirako took turns viciously slashing one another and then defending against counterattacks faster than the eye could see. In fact, Raul, who had just shattered the breastplate of a dark knight, looked up and could only see a blur of silver and white, sparks flying from each time their blades met.

Soon, there was a lull in the fighting, and Martin and Shirako separated. They stood a few feet away from one another. Martin was panting slightly, but Shirako didn't look fatigued in the slightest. The albino was smiling confidently. To Raul's relief, Martin didn't seem to be injured.

"You're not bad for a human," Shirako complimented the templar, who only scowled in response. "In fact, all of you are rather exceptional specimens of your race. It's not often our dark knights are so soundly defeated."

It was true. The dark knights that had accompanied Shirako were all dead, fragments of black armor littering the floor. Raul was now standing next to Ferlis, who had his rifle trained on Shirako. Rolf was standing near West, as he had been protecting the sniper from being flanked or encroached upon.

"You talk too much," Martin snapped. Then, an aura of white light faded into existence around the templar's body. Ribbons of the same light began to stream from his body and into the air. Raul could feel some sort of pressure in the air that made it hard to breathe. His knees felt weak, and it took considerably more effort than usual to remain standing. Was this Martin's true strength? Did he possess so much power that normal men couldn't even stand in his presence?

"What's the rush? Surely you don't wish to hasten your death unnecessarily? Slow down and…" At this moment, an armor-piercing bullet zoomed through the air at an incredible speed, propelled from West's rifle. His target had been Shirako's head. The general didn't even look at the bullet as he moved his head to the side. The bullet streaked by his head and harmlessly embedded itself in the wall behind him. Then, Shirako continued speaking without missing a beat. "…enjoy this. It's not often people like us get to test our strength."

"What the fuck?!" Raul heard West yell from his perch. He couldn't blame the man for being so shocked. The XM2012 Enhanced Rifle was the latest issued from the Bureau of Military Development. It could fire a round at a velocity of 870 meters per second, which was impossible for any normal eye to even see, much less avoid so easily.

"Martin, we'll back you up," was all Raul could say. He was no coward, but he was beginning to feel that he was even more overmatched than he had been against the Overseer.

"Enough talk!" Martin roared. He appeared to be finished powering himself up, and he propelled himself forward with his dominant foot, his sword held high. Shirako remained still as the templar zoomed towards him. Martin brought his blade down in an attempt to cleave the general in half, but he moved his body to the side and avoided the attack. Martin did not stop his assault, following up the first attack with a series of powerful horizontal strikes. His blade was surrounded in the same white aura as his body, giving it a holy appearance. To Raul, Martin looked every bit the messenger of justice.

None of the attacks landed. Without even moving from his spot on the floor, Shirako effortlessly avoided each and every attack. Martin realized that his attacks weren't working, and leapt backwards. The moment he did so, West's rifle sounded off once more. Shirako's hand flashed up faster than Raul could follow, and grabbed the bullet out of the air with his thumb and index finger, again without even looking.

"Take this!" Martin lifted his palm, and like before in the sewers, a small orb of white light formed there. Then, it expanded into a massive beam of light that shot forward at the albino.

Shirako looked down at his right hand, seemingly ignoring the beam of destruction soaring towards him. To Raul's shock, it looked like Shirako was casually cleaning the dust out from under his fingernails. The beam slammed into the general and exploded violently. Raul had to turn away and guard his eyes against the incredibly bright light given off by the explosion.

The explosion faded away almost immediately after it had come. The light soon followed it, and Shirako was revealed. His clothes were slightly burnt, but that seemed to be the extent of his injuries.

"Oh, I didn't realize we were using magic now," Shirako said, a hint of false innocence present in his voice. Raul's shotgun hung limply from his right hand. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Martin's strength was beyond anything he had ever seen, but Shirako had just taken that strength head on and hadn't even been hurt. A feeling of hopelessness began to descend upon him. He shook his head vigorously. He wouldn't let this happen.

"We need to coordinate our attacks. West, keep firing. Ferlis, you and I need to find some way to lure Shirako onto one of Rolf's mines. Rolf, distract him. Try and give Martin an opening," Raul ordered. Ferlis took a step forward, acknowledging the order with a nod.

"Shirako!" Rolf suddenly roared. The general turned his head in the direction of the commando to see him standing a few feet away, holding two machine pistols in his hands. Without waiting for a response, Rolf opened fire, spraying dozens of bullets towards the albino. Martin seized the moment to renew his assault. An orb of light slightly larger than the last formed in his left hand, and he brought his sword forward with his right. Shirako was now closed on two sides. Ferlis and Raul sprinted to Shirako's left, leveling their weapons and firing relentlessly. So that Shirako couldn't retreat, West continuously fired powerful rounds behind him, so that he would be hit if he tried to retreat that way.

"How tiresome," Shirako replied, and then blocked each and every one of the bullets heading his way from Rolf with the flat of his rapier. Then he flashed in front of the Rolf and slashed diagonally upwards, slicing right through the commando's armor and inflicting a grievous wound upon his chest. Then Raul suddenly saw a flash of white in front of him, and then pain exploded in his shoulders. Raul gasped and fell to his knees. Beside him, Ferlis had been hit as well, and was lying on the ground, blood pooling from fresh wounds. Shirako then appeared in front of Martin. The albino tossed his blade to his left hand in time to block the orb of light with his right hand, and then blocked the blade with his own. In retaliation, Shirako grabbed the templar's face, shattering the helmet, and sent the older man hurtling backwards. The whole exchange had happened in less than two seconds.

Martin was about to land on his feet when West called from his perch. "Martin, to your left!" Acting quickly, Martin stabbed his blade into the ground and used it to propel himself to the left slightly, avoiding the landmine that had been placed by Rolf.

However, when Shirako came to continue his attack, the general did not seem to regard the small metal object as a threat, and as such landed right on the mine. An explosion ensued, engulfing the general in fire and smoke. Martin, who had blocked the explosion with a barrier made of light, seized the moment and fired several orbs of light from his palms into the blast radius, where Shirako should have been.

Raul could feel something warm trickling down his chest. He didn't even have to look to know that it was blood. He hadn't even seen what had hit him. He turned his head to the right and looked down to see a deep gash in his shoulder. Looking at his other shoulder revealed a similar gash. He knew that if he didn't want to die, he'd have to stop the bleeding. He reached into a pocket on his suit, his shoulder paining him as he did so. He removed a roll of bandages and started to patch himself up, though it was slow going because it hurt incredibly every time he moved his arms.

"Is that all?" Shirako's cold voice asked, and then the general appeared just behind Martin and slashed at his back viciously. The blade of the rapier cut into the templar's breastplate, drawing blood. It would have inflicted a mortal wound if Martin hadn't thrown himself to the ground. The templar lashed out with foot, catching Shirako's ankle and causing the general to become unbalance. Martin followed up with an elbow to the chin. Shirako grunted and leapt backwards. A tiny stream of blood trickled out of his mouth. "Huh, I guess you are stronger than I thought. I suggest you stop holding back."

"It appears I have no choice. I had hoped to save my energy for the Emperor, but it seems that I will have to go to my full strength to kill you," Martin admitted. Shirako adopted a look of incredulity, and then he laughed in pure amusement. Martin scowled and waited for the general to cease his laughter.

"You? Kill the Emperor? How amusing," Shirako derided the templar. "He is easily my equal, if not slightly stronger. It has yet to be seen how much stronger, but there it is. If you can't even lower me to one knee, what makes you think you can even touch him?"

"Even if I am outmatched, I shall not falter. I am a templar of the Church of Krysan. I will never run from a demon such as you. I will fight until the very flesh is stripped from my bones," Martin asserted, bringing his blade in front of him and holding it upright.

"Spoken like a true warrior. At the very least, you have the mindset of a warrior, if not the strength," Shirako complimented. "Very well, I will do as you wish, and strip the flesh from your bones."

"Don't think it will be so easy. I will show you my full power, as you requested. It is a form that I have only shown to his Holiness, Archbishop Vicard." Martin's voice was low and serious. A look of curiosity appeared on Shirako's face as the white aura that surrounded Martin's body grew brighter and stronger.

The pressure from Martin's power that Raul was feeling suddenly intensified, and the commando gasped aloud. His breath caught in his throat. He couldn't breathe. There was so much magical force pressing down on his body that he collapsed face-first to the floor.

A pillar of white light exploded upwards, tearing into the ceiling and rupturing the floor. At its center stood Martin. His previously blue pupils turned golden, and his hair gradually turned from its usual grey to black. The lines in the older man's face smoothed out. The combination of these changes in his appearance caused Martin to look over twenty years younger and slightly otherworldly, the latter due to his piercing golden eyes.

The white light surging around the templar turned the same color as his eyes. Then, two streams of light protruded from the man's back and began to lengthen, branching out and growing larger. Soon, they formed two wings of golden light. They began flapping powerfully, lifting Martin off the ground.

His sword also changed. The hilt, which had been simply black leather before, turned brown, laced with golden filigree. The simple flat plate at the upper end of the hilt changed to a motif of two beautiful angels facing one another, their wings stretching out to form the guard. The blade lengthened, thickened, and then changed from a silvery hue to a one similar to the appearance of pure white gold.

Shirako watched the transformation with interest evident on his face. When Martin's power reached its height, the general gave a happy laugh, his expression turning to one of glee.

The pillar of white light dissipated, and Martin's transformation was complete. In Raul's opinion, he now looked less like a human and more like an angel. "That's more like it!" Shirako remarked, readying his blade once more. Martin said nothing, and instead zoomed forward faster than Raul's eyes could follow.

Before Martin reached Shirako, the templar slammed his sword into the ground, choosing instead to fight Shirako with his fists. The general saw Martin coming and swung his rapier down. The templar grabbed the blade, much to Shirako's shock, and wrenched it aside. Martin then brought his knee upwards, slamming it into Shirako's chest. The air whooshed out of the general's lungs, followed by saliva. Shirako did not get even a second to prepare before Martin's left fist smashed into his chest. A split second later, the templar's right followed it. Shirako was sent skidding backwards, his boots gouging into the crystal floor.

The general had been taken by surprise, but it didn't seem to phase him. Instead, a twisted grin crossed his pale face. Shirako charged back at Martin at a high speed, his sword held by his side in an attempt to run by the templar and cut him asunder. The general certainly hadn't expected Martin to thrust his arm out and clothesline him. The sudden attack sent the general backwards, but Martin didn't let him go. Using his wings to soar through the air, Martin zoomed forward and grabbed onto Shirako's face. He brought his arm back, and then slammed Shirako into the ground, dragging him across the ruptured crystal floor. Shards of crystal snagged in the general's clothing, causing them to rip and tear.

Still holding on to Shirako, Martin lifted him up and planted his free hand into the albino's middle. Shirako grunted, and was sent flying across the room and into the wall, which shattered under his momentum.

"Mother of God," West gasped, slack jawed from the show of strength exhibited by Martin. "He might actually be able to win!"

Shirako appeared upright in the center of the room. "I underestimated you it seems," the general remarked. Martin didn't reply. "You should not have left your sword behind."

A pure white orb of magic appeared on the tip of Shirako's rapier. He slashed forward, causing the orb to zoom through the air. It traveled in a strange, meandering pattern, drawing a white line and more orbs behind it. These additional orbs behaved similarly, connecting to the other orbs through white lines until a massive web of interconnected orbs was flying towards Martin.

The templar did not even bat an eye. He brought up his hand and swiped it to the right. A gigantic wave of light erupted from the ground in the areas his hand had indicated. With another hand motion, the wave shot forward and met the web of orbs head on.

"You really think I would leave a weapon like that behind so causally?" Martin asked calmly, and then his golden eyes flashed. His blade, which was still point down in the floor nearby, shone with a holy light, and then shot out powerful beams of energy from the diamond in the pommel, which swerved around the battling magic between Shirako and Martin and headed straight for the albino general.

Shirako screamed as all of the waves collided with him at once. The distraction allowed Martin to push past his web of orbs and hit the general with the wave of light, causing a massive explosion to engulf Shirako and obscure him from view.

As all of this was going on, Martin's sword then released a pulse of revitalizing energy. Raul suddenly felt the wounds on his shoulders slowly knitting together. It was a weird feeling, one that was offset by the incredible feeling of having all of his energy return to him at once. It was like he had just drained a liter bottle of energy juice. Raul leapt to his feet and grabbed his shotgun, his confidence returning. Ferlis stood beside him, gazing at the spot where his wounds used to be in awe. Rolf joined them, staring at Martin in shock and wonder.

"Did you get him?" Ferlis dared to ask. Raul and the others looked at fading light where Shirako had been hit, only to see the general still upright. There were burns all over the albino's body, and his clothes were burnt and hanging off of him in tatters. Now Shirako appeared to be breathing heavily for the first time since the battle had begun.

A weak laugh sounded from Shirako. This laughter grew until the general was laughing in an almost maniacal manner. "This is great! You are much stronger than the Emperor was when I fought him for the first time!" he exclaimed happily. Raul didn't understand. Shirako was reacting the exact opposite of what he should be. He's losing, so it didn't make sense to Raul that he would get happier rather than fall into despair.

"Shirako, your existence is an abomination. I apologize for the necessity, but I cannot afford to play any longer with you. This form drains my energy faster than I would like, so I must end this in a single blow," Martin revealed to the general. Then, he held out his hand. His sword tore itself from the floor and flew to the templar's hand, his fingers closing around the hilt. The weapon instantly began to glow, light streaming out of the air and gathering around the blade.

"Unfortunately, you are right. As entertaining as this has been, I too have other things that demand my attention. However, you have been an honorable opponent, with a great deal of strength. To show my respect, I will allow you to die with your honor intact," Shirako responded readily, watching the buildup of immense magical power around Martin's sword. "You see, you are not the only one who possesses the ability to change form."

As the general finished speaking, Raul could feel the presence of malevolent magical power streaming into the room to offset Martin's holy power. An aura of white, evil magic appeared around Shirako. The general began to yell as his body began to undergo some sort of sickly transformation.

Raul watched in shock as Shirako changed. The general's hair, which was already long, grew longer, thicker, and wilder, until it became a thick mane of white, spiky hair that fell to his waist. He hunched over, and Raul could see thick white fur sprouting from his back, accompanied by several black spikes that began at Shirako's neck and traveled down his back. The same white fur grew on his hands and feet, while their respective digits lengthened and sharpened until they became lethal claws. Each of his major muscles bulged and grew, giving him a strong, limber appearance. His face remained generally the same, but his teeth had sharpened to points. Now, Shirako seemed more feral, similar to a wild animal such as a wolverine or a wolf.

At last, Shirako's transformation was complete. At the same time, Martin had finished charging his final attack. His blade now resembled a rod of pure light. Shirako licked his lips and adopted a feral grin. "Now, it's time to end this."

"Indeed," Martin agreed, and then brought his blade back behind his body and slammed it into the ground. In a split second, he dragged the blade forward and up to his left, releasing all of the light he had gathered in one massive attack. "Farewell!"

The magical power sent forth from the blade adopted the shape of a white eagle and soared towards Shirako, whose eyes narrowed as the magical power drew closer. The magical apparition gave a soundless cry, and then slammed into the ground where Shirako was standing.

The explosion that ensued was one of epic proportions. Everything within a ten meter radius of the explosion was completely obliterated. Even Raul and the commandos, who were out of its range, were sent flying backwards by the shockwaves.

A pillar of golden light shot up into the air, breaking through floor after floor of Pandemonium until it broke through the ceiling and zoomed up into the skies, where it could be seen for miles around.

* * *

The golden light soaring into the heavens next to him even disturbed the Emperor, who was sitting comfortably on his throne and watching the battle. Mateus turned his head curiously, looking impressed. He stood, feeling that magic power like this earned his personal attention.

* * *

Raul watched in triumph at the explosion. If this was Martin's strongest attack, there was no way Shirako could have survived. Sure, he had some fancy transformation, but it was nothing compared to the sheer destructive force that he had just witnessed. They had done it. Shirako was defeated. Now they could move on to the Emperor and kill him, restoring peace to the country. He was now even more confident that nothing could kill Martin.

Thus, he was the most surprised when blood exploded from Martin's chest. Raul's eyes shot wide in shock. Martin's breastplate had been eviscerated, and Raul could see a massive hole directly through the templar's chest. Martin's eyes were wide, his mouth open. He looked down at his chest, confused, as if he simply couldn't understand what had happened. Then, he let out a wet gurgle and the mighty templar collapsed, the wings of light disappearing.

Shirako stood just behind the fallen Martin, his right claw bloodied and holding a small object. Raul recoiled in horror when he realized that the object was a human heart. The organ was still beating, though it was slowing down significantly, until it finally beat its last. Shirako crushed the heart in his claw, blood cascading over his claws and forming a puddle on the floor.

"H…how…?" was all Raul could get out. Shirako hadn't even been injured by Martin's final attack. The general smirked, and then allowed his body to revert to its original form.

"You will be remembered, Father Martin. Sadly, your heart was pure, and thus you will no doubt be enjoying eternal paradise in heaven. Had you been evil, you would have made a great general," Shirako spoke reverently to Martin's corpse.

Raul raised his gun, though it trembled in his grip. Shirako turned his gaze on the commandoes, lifting his blade once more. Before he could attack, however, Emperor Mateus himself faded into existence just beside Shirako. The albino turned his head in surprise at the sudden appearance of his lord.

"Unfortunate," the Emperor commented, gazing down at what was left of Martin. "His power was great. If corrupted, he would have made a powerful ally."

Raul recognized the Emperor instantly. It was that same calm, sadistic figure that had so casually walked up on stage and murdered Torvan. It was he who was responsible for the desperate state of affairs that gripped the country.

"I didn't see the point in asking. He was of some church or another. The same self-righteous, deluded scum we've been destroying since the beginning of time. He would never have joined us," Shirako explained to the Emperor. Mateus nodded understandingly. The Emperor never once looked at the commandos, even though he was fully aware of their presence.

"Your transformation was impressive, Shirako. I see now why you refused to serve me at first. The concept of such raw power being controlled by a mere insect is simply laughable," Mateus complimented Shirako. The general grinned at the praise.

"Now you get it. However, I assume that the fact you are not afraid means that you believe that your power is still greater than mine, even after seeing my transformation," Shirako deduced. A small smile graced the Emperor's face.

"Indeed. You see, the method I used to gain my new power was of the most demonic nature. I believe that the first true gods were once men, experimenting with forces they didn't understand. Using this method, these men gained so much power they ceased to exist as mortals, instead transcending normal existence to godhood. This, Shirako, is my goal," Mateus explained. The more Raul heard, the further he fell into despair. Beside him, the other commandos were similarly in shock. They knew that there was nothing they could do.

"I see. So you believe yourself to be on the way to godhood. I suppose after all this is over, I must test this godlike strength of yours," Shirako said. His words sounded suspiciously like a challenge, but the Emperor had expected such sentiments from his strongest general. "Now, I have some mice to exterminate."

At last, Raul snapped. He didn't know what set him off. Perhaps it was hearing Shirako refer to them all as mice. Or it was that he was envisioning what the world would be like under the Emperor's rule, and his mind simply rebelled. His despair gave way to fury, and he was on his feet in an instant. He tossed his shotgun aside and sprinted full tilt towards the Emperor. He heard Ferlis calling his name frantically, but he didn't care.

Raul's pulse pounded in his head. A wordless cry ripped from his throat, gaining the Emperor's attention. When Raul reached Martin's body, he grabbed the holy blade that had nearly defeated Shirako and held it aloft. He recklessly slashed at the Emperor.

Raul suddenly felt the blade hit something that felt like a solid wall. When he looked, he couldn't believe it. The Emperor had stopped the blade by the tip with his finger, the holy blade not even breaking the skin. Mateus's smile grew, and then Raul could only watch as the man slowly brought his other finger forward and held it a few inches away from his chest. A small point of darkness appeared there, and then expanded into an incredibly powerful particle beam, which carved a path right through Raul. Raul felt immense pain for a split second, and then everything went numb. He looked down to see that his torso had been practically vaporized, leaving only strands of muscles and skin connecting his head to his legs. Raul gave one last gasp and fell backwards. His vision was blurring, but he didn't feel any pain.

The Emperor then blew Raul backwards with a blast of concussive force, sending the commando hurtling backwards into the wall, breaking through it and through every wall behind it until he was thrown out over the city.

Raul gazed up at the cloudy sky. He felt strange. His body tingled, and the sounds of the outside world began to fade away. He felt sleepy, and soon his eyes shut for the last time.

His body fell to the ground in the middle of an open battle. The soldiers that were fighting the dark knights inside the city saw the falling corpse and moved out of the way. Those that recognized the corpse screamed in horror. Morale plummeted, as the soldiers realized that the infiltration team must have failed. The dark knights began to push them back, and what had once been a rush forward became a fight for survival.

* * *

_ (Earlier, before Martin's fight with Shirako)_

Lyrin sighed heavily, watching the holographic screen. The enemy was closing on his position faster than he would like. He had approximately five minutes before they arrived. He wasn't worried about himself, however, but instead about the outcome as a whole.

Captain Marhess was down, and with him the rest of the air force. The sea front had fallen as well. His diversion was failing rapidly, their momentum lost. Thankfully, the Suburb front was going very well. Between the main gun of his cannon and his forces' superior technology, the front was getting closer and closer to Pandemonium.

"I'm going to need one of you to control the main gun," Lyrin ordered, turning to the two gunners that accompanied him in the tank. "I'm going to take care of whoever the Emperor has sent to take me out."

"Magister?" One of the gunners questioned, worried by Lyrin's request. The Magister smiled understandingly.

"Don't worry. I doubt that any but the strongest demon could defeat me. You see, I was once a templar," Lyrin assured them. The gunners saluted. Confident that they would hold the line, Lyrin opened the hatch of the tank and lifted himself out.

The gunners retained their salute until Lyrin was out of sight. That's when the meaning of the Magister's words hit home. "Wait, he WHAT?!" a gunner practically screamed.

Lyrin hopped to the ground, off of the command tank. If his suspicions were correct, then the Emperor would have sent a particularly strong soldier to take him out, and as such using the tank would have been a poor choice. He figured that whoever was coming would have taken the tank apart within seconds. This way, Lyrin could keep one of their most important battle assets intact while at the same time dealing with the would-be assassin.

The Magister noticed thirteen figures approaching his position in the distance, moving too fast to be anything human. He placed his hand on the hilt of his broadsword. Lyrin believed himself to be fairly strong, as he had trained under Archbishop Vicard himself. In fact, Lyrin owed most of his military genius to Vicard. Another little known fact was that he was born and raised in the Church of Krysan. Lyrin smiled, remembering his early memories at the church.

* * *

_A young child knelt at the base of the altar. His black hair fell in front of his eyes, which were shut as he searched deep inside of his soul. Beside him stood a much older man in his twenties, who wore a set of medieval looking battle armor, which despite its appearance was actually quite technologically advanced for its time. The man's short black hair was offset by his deep blue eyes. _

"_How do you feel, Lyrin?" the older man asked of the child. The young Lyrin opened his eyes and glanced up at the man with wide-eyed innocence._

"_Pretty nice! I can see why you guys like praying all the time. It's pretty peaceful. I really think I can feel him!" Lyrin exclaimed happily. The older man chuckled slightly and then placed his hand upon the child's head._

"_That's good to hear. It sounds like you're making progress. If you can feel the presence of the lord, then you are one step closer to the perfection that all templar strive to achieve," the man said to Lyrin, who grinned brightly at the praise._

"_Awesome! When do you think I can start doing that cool flashy light stuff that you guys do?" Lyrin's response caused the older man's expression to become stern._

"_Lyrin. The light is not something that one can wield with that kind of attitude. It will not respond to the will of one who wishes to use it for such trivial reasons," he admonished the child._

"_But…Father," Lyrin protested._

"_Martin is right, young Lyrin," spoke another, wiser sounding voice. Martin immediately turned and knelt on the ground, bowing his head in respect of the new arrival. Lyrin did the same._

_The man that strode out of the chapel entrance smiled at their show of respect. He wore only a white robe, which was a surprisingly simple choice of clothing despite the man's rank. Clutched in his right hand was an ornate staff, made of ivory. Carvings of angels and suns spiraled up the handle, culminating in a crystalline orb at the head of the staff._

"_Your Holiness," Martin greeted the new arrival, keeping his head bowed. Lyrin repeated the same greeting._

"_Rise, my friends. I am not here on business. I merely wished to see how my brightest pupil is doing," Archbishop Vicard replied graciously. Martin and Lyrin did so, but kept their posture upright and respectful. "I wanted to explain to you, Lyrin, the nature of the light that you wish to control."_

"_Ready to listen, your Holiness," Lyrin responded respectfully._

"_The light that we command is a righteous force, the very aura of our lord himself. Such power will not respond to the will of those with impure or selfish desires. Your interest in controlling it is admirable, but it will not be sufficient to call it down from the heavens," Vicard explained._

"_I do not understand. Does…does that mean that wanting to control it is selfish?" Lyrin stammered, horrified._

"_Ah, now you see why it is such a difficult power to master. Many templars have struggled to attain it, as their motivations for doing so were for reasons such as gaining respect in the eyes of their superiors, or elevating themselves above the common man. The light can sense one's motivations, and will only respond to those with the purest of intentions," Vicard continued._

"_What sort of intentions?" Lyrin inquired, curious._

"_Tell me, young Lyrin, what do you wish to protect?" the Archbishop answered the child's question with another question. Lyrin adopted a perplexed expression. The child appeared to be thinking, but after a few seconds he shrugged._

"_What I want to protect? Uh…I don't exactly know," Lyrin admitted. Vicard smiled knowingly._

"_Alas, then the light shall continue to elude you. Now, unfortunately, I must depart. Other matters demand my attention. I'm sure you understand," the Archbishop responded. Then, he turned the other direction, his robes flapping in the breeze. "Lyrin, when you have an answer to my question, I want you to tell me."_

"_Understood, your Holiness!" Lyrin replied smartly. Once Vicard had left, the child was once again alone with Father Martin. The older man reached to his side and unsheathed his broadsword._

"_Take his Holiness' words to heart, Lyrin. Now, it's time for our combat exercises. Go and get your sword," Martin ordered. Lyrin nodded excitedly and ran through the garden towards the barracks, where his room was located._

* * *

"What I want to protect…" Lyrin spoke softly, watching the enemy drawing closer and closer. The thirteen figures finally reached Lyrin's position and came to a stop. They were all unfamiliar to him, as none of them looked like the dark knights that made up the bulk of the Emperor's army. Twelve of them looked similar, as they all wore dark violet clothing, reinforced with plates of similarly colored steel armor over the shoulders, chest, and limbs. Their faces were completely covered by hoods and masks, leaving nothing visible of their facial features except for their eyes, which blazed a fiery red. For weapons, they carried dual katanas that were strapped in an X pattern to their backs. Many other smaller knives were sheathed in tiny slots in their armor.

All it took was one look from Lyrin to determine that these twelve were stronger than the dark knights. He was not frightened in the least, however, as he was confident in his own power. If anything, Lyrin was worried about the more humanoid demon that was in the center of the group. The way the demon's yellow, empty eyes gazed at him caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on end.

"Are you the one in charge?" the demon asked in a deep, smooth voice. Lyrin didn't answer at first, analyzing the demon's form to try and discern his fighting style. He could see two strange looking daggers sheathed on either side of the demon's belt. Judging from that, Lyrin deduced that the demon was a close ranged fighter, relying on speed rather than power to defeat his opponents. Like the other twelve, the demon wore several smaller knives all over his body. Lyrin guessed that they must have been throwing knives. He would have to be careful.

"I am Commander General Lyrin Emerius, former Seraphim General of the Church of Krysan and Magister of Mercadia. If your objective is the head of this army, then you've come to the right man," Lyrin replied confidently to the demon, who nodded politely in response to the introduction.

"I am Shuryo, of Mateus's five generals. I came to fight you to the death," the demon returned the introduction, unsheathing both of his daggers. Lyrin noted that their design was unlike any he'd ever seen before. The Magister drew his own weapon, holding the broadsword before him in a defensive stance.

"Well, then. I hope you don't think that this will be easy for you," Lyrin said calmly. Shuryo didn't reply, instead motioning to the other twelve demons. All of them unsheathed their katanas and turned their gazes onto Lyrin. The Magister realized that he was going to have to take all of them at once.

The twelve demons reacted instantly to Shuryo's next hand motion. They charged towards Lyrin, making no sound apart from the pounding of their feet on the ground. Lyrin shut his eyes, remembering that unfortunate series of events that had led to him finally mastering the power of light.

"What I want to protect…is the world that she loved so much!" Lyrin roared, planting his foot and dashing to meet the twelve demons. He could remember it like it had happened yesterday. He remembered those soft, golden eyes gazing at him with barely contained happiness. He remembered the smell of honeyed strawberries that accompanied her very presence. Lyrin's eyes narrowed. He had made a promise-one that he intended to keep.

"_Why are you frowning, Rianna?"_

_ "It's nothing really. It's just that…if this tumultuous peace is ever broken, then no one will be able to enjoy the simple things, like the birds singing in the morning, or the sound of the breeze across the meadow. It's a tragedy."_

_ "Then…I'll just have to make sure that never happens. So I never have to see you frown ever again."_

_ "Lyrin…?"_

_ "That's a promise."_

Lyrin felt the light surge inside of his body at his call. It seeped out from his palm and swirled down his weapon, causing the blade to glow with a bright light. When the first demon reached him, Lyrin sliced directly through it, cutting it in half. He was quickly assaulted by three more demons. Lyrin's expression was determined as he blocked the strikes from the demons' katanas. As soon as an opening presented itself, Lyrin impaled one of the three demons, killing it. As another went to stab his unprotected side, Lyrin's free hand shot out and grabbed the demon's wrist. While the demon was immobilized, the Magister ducked down to avoid an overhead slash from the third demon. Instead of hitting him, the slash decapitated the demon that Lyrin had been holding.

Lyrin lashed out with his foot, unbalancing the demon. He leapt to his feet and kicked the impaled demon off of his blade and then used the weapon to block the attacks of three more demons that were moving to surround him. The demon behind him was beginning to rise, leaving Lyrin with no room to maneuver.

He clenched his free hand into a fist and then extended his index finger. A stream of light extended from within his fist and wrapped around his outstretched finger. It continued to lengthen and thicken until it took on the shape of a whip. Lyrin snapped his wrist, and the stream of light cut through the three incoming demons, the bloody halves of their bodies falling on the ground.

The demon behind him slashed at his back, but Lyrin had already predicted it. He pivoted on one heel and redirected the attack with his blade. Sparks flew from the impact. The demon's red eyes met his. Neither gaze held any mercy for the other.

The remaining five demons circled Lyrin, their katanas raised menacingly. The Magister pushed back the demon and disengaged his sword. He leapt back and snapped the whip forward. The tip coiled around the demon's foot and yanked it into the air. Lyrin did not stop there. He manipulated the whip so that the demon he had ensnared slammed into the other five demons, knocking them over. Then, Lyrin slashed his sword forward and released the light that was gathered inside of his blade in the form of a thin, deadly shockwave. He repeated the same movement five times until his blade no longer shone. Each of the shockwaves collided with a singular target, exploding on contact.

That was all of the demons, but Lyrin could hear incredibly swift footsteps heading directly for him. The Magister again snapped his wrist, and the whip soared towards the attacker, the demon still attached to the end.

Shuryo, who was the one moving to attack, saw the demon coming and sliced through it with his daggers like it was nothing, and then assaulted Lyrin viciously with a series of impossibly fast slashes and stabs. Lyrin was forced to dissolve the whip of light and wield his blade with both hands in order to block the attacks. Even so, Lyrin was being pushed back by the ferocity of the general's assault.

Lyrin could tell this man was nothing like the others. Despite his earlier assumption, Shuryo's attacks possessed an awesome amount of power. Lyrin's mind raced, trying to find a way to turn the tables.

Shuryo suddenly disappeared with an odd _swish_ sound. Lyrin immediately sensed the general's presence to his right, so he whirled and blocked another assault.

The general initiated a strange attack pattern, disappearing in that same manner and reappearing in seemingly random locations. It took all of Lyrin's mental focus to pinpoint Shuryo's location and react accordingly. Even so, the Magister was purely on the defensive. He was simply not fast enough.

When it became clear that Shuryo was not going to let up anytime soon, Lyrin decided to take the initiative. What he was going to do was risky, but there was no other way. Lyrin turned to face Shuryo's next assault and shot out his palm, an orb of light forming there.

One of Shuryo's daggers cut into his hand, but it was too late. The blast that Lyrin had prepared erupted forth from his hand, colliding head on with the general.

Shuryo was sent skidding backwards, his dark green clothing singed slightly. Instead of immediately attacking again, Shuryo stood up straight.

"I told you this was not going to be easy for you. I'm not some run of the mill soldier who happened to get a lucky promotion," Lyrin reiterated to the general.

"I see that now. I am surprised you dealt with the Silent as easily as you did. They are my personal squad of assassins that I trained myself," Shuryo responded. It was the longest thing he'd said since he'd appeared. "It appears you've earned your title."

"Respect. That's not something I expected to receive from the enemy," Lyrin commented, and rightfully so.

"You are fighting for what you believe in. That is cause enough for me to respect you," Shuryo responded, shocking Lyrin even more. This man was a demon, one of the five generals that served the Emperor. Knowing this, Lyrin couldn't understand why he appeared to hold beliefs that were predominately human. Shuryo again adopted a fighting stance. "Now come. I too, am fighting for what I believe in."

A dark green aura erupted from Shuryo's body, streaming into the air like emerald flames. Lyrin could feel the pressure of his magical power in the air. That meant the general was powering himself up. Lyrin couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. It had taken all he had to hold Shuryo back before, and now the general was getting stronger.

Lyrin began to power himself up as well. Thankfully there were no human soldiers near him, else he would have asked Shuryo to move elsewhere. Instead, most of the human forces were fighting a pitched battle in the suburbs, trying to push deeper into the city.

The men that had been manning the mortar launchers had abandoned them once their allies had entered the suburbs, for fear of hitting their allies. Instead, these men had returned to base and acquired attack copters under Lyrin's orders. These copters now soared over Lyrin's head as he called the light from within himself.

The dragons that had destroyed the Winged Brigade had been picking off infantry units from above, grabbing an unlucky soldier or two in their claws and dropping them from great heights. That massive black dragon that Lyrin had pointed out earlier was circling the battlefield from above, as the city streets were too small for it to effectively join the battle. Instead, it oriented on the incoming copters, roaring out its challenge.

From the mountains where the base camp was, Lyrin had positioned snipers at the very beginning of the battle. They were equipped with the latest in rifle technology; these rifles were mostly prototypes engineered by Dr. Hinter, and worked in a similar way to the command tank's main cannon, only on a much smaller scale. Once the Winged Brigade had fallen, the snipers had opened up on the Emperor's air force. Every so often, a dragon could be seen falling to its death after a particularly accurate shot through a vital area.

A white aura encircled Lyrin, indicating that he had reached his maximum power. He wasn't as strong as Martin, because the older man had obtained a form that transcended the human level and neared the power of angels. Lyrin had never seen that form himself, but he had felt the pressure of its magical power once before.

Shuryo's eyes narrowed, and then the general propelled himself into the air, his daggers outstretched. Lyrin took to the air at the same time, and the two met in midair with a resounding crash.

* * *

To the two gunners in the command tank, they could not believe what they were seeing. The legend of the templars was well known upon the military, but it was quite a different matter to see one in action. All they could see of the battle were streaks of white and green light, circling one another and colliding frequently. A sound reminiscent of thunder rocked the area, even penetrating the metal of the tank and reaching their ears.

"We should do something," one of the gunners suggested. The other regarded him in surprise.

"What the hell do you think we could do?" he snapped. "Those guys are like fucking gods out there."

"Wait for a clear shot, and then we fire the main gun right on that bastard," the gunner who spoke first replied with a grin on his face. The other gunner scoffed, but reached up and took the gun controls.

* * *

Even at his maximum strength, Lyrin was having trouble. Although he hadn't taken any injuries yet, neither had he inflicted any on Shuryo. Every time their blades met, the power behind the general's attack sent intense vibrations down Lyrin's sword and to his hands, which were beginning to ache. Right now, it appeared that at his full power, Lyrin was equally matched with Shuryo. However, the general seemed to be tiring at a much slower rate than he was.

Lyrin landed on the ground and brought his blade up just in time to block one of Shuryo's daggers. When the general brought the other one forward, Lyrin hastily moved his torso to the right, but he wasn't fast enough to prevent the blade from grazing his side. It split his clothing and cut through his skin, drawing blood. Lyrin winced. The wound burned like fire, much more than it should have. He deduced that the added pain had something to do with Shuryo's daggers. He was a demon, so it seemed illogical that the general would fight like a human.

Shuryo disengaged his first dagger and tried to cut underneath his guard, but Lyrin was able to use his sword to block it again. This time, Lyrin ducked under the second dagger and slammed his fist into Shuryo's middle…or would have, but his fist seemed to pass through Shuryo's image like he wasn't there. Lyrin suddenly sensed Shuryo's presence behind him, and threw himself to the ground, just barely avoiding the dagger that stabbed right where he used to be.

Shuryo kicked Lyrin viciously in the side, causing the Magister to gasp in pain. Before he could do it again, Lyrin rolled over and leapt to his feet. His side hurt terribly, and upon inspecting it Lyrin was able to deduce that a few of his ribs were fractured.

Lyrin summoned his whip of light into his left hand and snapped it forward at the general, attempting to snare his feet. Shuryo leapt over it, and then dodged Lyrin's follow up attacks easily. When Lyrin sent the whip at him again, Shuryo caught it on his dagger, the whip coiling around the blade. Lyrin's eyes widened as he was torn off of his feet and hurled through the air as Shuryo yanked the whip towards him. Shuryo pivoted on one heel and hurled Lyrin viciously towards a rocky outcropping, which shattered under the Magister's weight and momentum.

Shuryo was about to launch himself after the Magister to deal the finishing blow when all of a sudden a fizzing zap could be heard. Shuryo turned his head to face the sound to try and discern its source. His yellow eyes widened as he saw a thick beam of light zooming towards him faster than any human eye could see. It slammed into him and exploded violently, sending fire and debris high into the air. A mushroom cloud formed from the explosion, completely obscuring Shuryo from view.

The air currents caused by the explosion slammed into Lyrin, causing him to cover his eyes. The wind blew his hair back and hindered his movement as he tried to rise. He knew that gun. The gunners in the command tank had fired the main gun and scored a direct hit on Shuryo.

The hatch of the command tank opened up, and one of the gunners poked his head out, a triumphant expression on his face. "Take that, you son of a bitch!" the gunner roared happily.

"Get down, you fool!" Lyrin shouted as loud as he could. The gunner looked confused, but then Shuryo appeared atop the tank directly in front of him. The general's clothes were burnt badly, and his skin was singed in several places, but he was still very much a live. The look in the demon's eyes was thunderous. The gunner cried out and covered his face, but Shuryo's daggers were already moving.

The gunner was saved at the last moment. Shuryo was just about to slaughter the gunner when Lyrin's whip curled around his foot and yanked him downwards. The general's head slammed into the metal surface of the tank as he was dragged off of the tank.

The gunner took the hint and moved back into the tank. There was a whirring sound, and the entire tank rotated to face Shuryo, all of the weapons orienting on the general at once.

Shuryo reached down and grabbed the whip, attempting to yank Lyrin off of his feet again, but the Magister had already released the whip.

"You put up a good fight," Shuryo observed tersely.

"As do you, general. Now, come!" Lyrin challenged, a grin on his face. It didn't matter if he was on the losing end.

He had a promise to keep.

* * *

All right, time for some author's notes! How about that chapter? I thought the Shirako fight would take the whole chapter, but that ended up only being half of it. I couldn't finish the Shuryo fight, because I'd already reached my minimum and didn't want to drag the chapter on. This way I'll have more material to put into the next one.

Oh, and in case you hadn't noticed Lyrin's surname…just want to point that out. Also, because of all these original characters I'm writing, I' m curious to know how people see them. So if you leave a review, I'd like to know what your favorite original character is.

No one really reviewed on the last chapter, so I'll just not do shoutouts this time around.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	8. Palamecia Stands Firm

Holy hell, this battle is lasting a lot longer than I expected it to. At first, I planned for the humans to just get completely shut down and owned by like, one General. Like the Overseer or Silvarion. However, I'm rather enjoying describing mixed unit tactics as well as the one-on-one fights. I like the humans a lot better than I thought.

* * *

The battle was not going well for the humans. Their momentum at first had been incredible due to their significant technological advantage and high morale, but as the dark knights adapted to these disadvantages, the humans were now caught in a veritable stalemate.

For every dark knight that fell, there were always more to replace it. Unlike the humans, the dark knights appeared to be on an endless loop. As they died, their souls would return to Hell and would simply climb back up to the battlefield and resume fighting. In essence, the Emperor had amassed an infinite army.

Despite this, the humans were doing rather well considering their circumstances. Realizing that pushing forward was suicidal, the soldiers had entrenched themselves in the city and focused on standing their ground. Barricades were set up in the streets from the rubble of destroyed buildings and manned with 50 caliber machine guns. Snipers set up positions on the rooftops of intact buildings and rained down bullets on the enemy forces. The remaining tanks had set up flanking positions on either side of the dark knights, constantly pounding their ranks with cannon fire, while APCs filled with troops rolled up behind them.

The stalemate had been going on so long, that the humans had enough time to move the mortar cannons that had been set up outside the city to the front. Then, they were set up behind allied forces and were used to bombard the enemy. The enemy casualties numbered in the millions, but they continued to come in such numbers that such numbers mattered little. Morale was swiftly dropping in the ranks.

When Lyrin had stopped coordinating with the allied commanders, organization was harder to achieve. They knew nothing of the enemy movements anymore, as Lyrin had been the one in charge of notifying them of possible threats. Thus, the allied commanders were forced to divert soldiers to reconnaissance in order to prevent flanking maneuvers.

There were no signs of the Emperor's elite apart from Silvarion, the massive dragon that appeared to be practically indestructible. Heavy artillery did nothing to it, and the only reason it hadn't annihilated them all was because of heavy anti-air platforms that had been set up atop nearby buildings. While they weren't inflicting any real damage, Silvarion appeared to be reluctant to take sustained streams of fire from such installations. Thus, the dragon was forced to steer clear of the main bulk of allied forces and focus on eliminating outlying clumps of soldiers or tanks. In essence, the dragon had cut off their supply lines. Unless something was done soon, the soldiers would run out of ammunition and food eventually. Such a thing would surely sound the death knell for their rebellion.

Allied attack copters soon entered the battlefield, intent on providing air support to their beleaguered comrades. However, these air units provided clear targets for Silvarion, who engaged them almost immediately.

Unlike jets and other fast moving planes, the attack copters were more maneuverable and could easily dodge Silvarion's attacks. Thus, rather than provide air support to the ground troops, the copters instead chose to distract Silvarion for as long as they could. This allowed infantry to mount jeeps, return to base camp and return with supplies.

Soon, the allied commanders realized they were fighting a losing battle. Something had to be done, or the battle would inevitably end in their defeat.

One commander brilliantly decided to send infantry units into the sewer systems with heavy explosives. The plan was to travel to the areas underneath enemy positions and block off their advance by collapsing the tunnels. Such a thing was risky for the infantry sent and would no doubt cause incredible amounts of damage to the city, but everyone had agreed that it would be better to demolish the city and prevent the Emperor from using its resources.

Thankfully, most of the civilians in the city had wisely chosen to evacuate the area entirely for fear of being caught up in the battle. Shockingly, the Emperor had even assigned dark knights to aid in the evacuation attempt. The allied soldiers had been confused by these reports, but a conclusion was soon reached. The Emperor clearly realized that an empire could not be run without subjects. This conclusion was then revised once it became clear that the dark knights were focusing on extracting more important individuals such as scientists, engineers, and influential economists. Those that practiced politics, history, and other such fields were left to fend for themselves.

All in all, despite the ferocity of the battle that raged in the city, civilian casualties were quite low.

Upon execution of the sewer plan, the humans gained some momentum. The collapsing streets had killed thousands of dark knights, and even more were killed when the foundations beneath large buildings were weakened, causing devastating avalanches of metal and concrete. The enemy advance was completely cut off for several blocks, forcing the knights to find a way to circumvent the blockade of rubble. Unfortunately, the brave soldiers that had planted the explosives had not survived the blast, as an incursion of dark knights had found them in the sewers and cut off their retreat. Their only choice had been to martyr themselves by detonating the blast early.

With so much ground cleared for them, the allied forces moved forward, leaving their entrenchments in search of ones further forward in the time bought by the collapse. Tanks, jeeps, and APCs rolled forward to find new positions. The anti-air units were dismantled and moved to new buildings. Thankfully, the attack copters were doing a marvelous job at keeping Silvarion busy, much to the dragon's frustration.

However, in the midst of their advance, the rubble that blocked the dark knights' path was completely demolished by a combination of swift, powerful hammer strikes and brilliant violet flames. The Overseer had reached the battle. Every soldier recognized the beast immediately, and nearly all fire concentrated on him and him alone.

Even the Overseer found himself overwhelmed by all of the fire heading in his direction. More than once, artillery fire struck him head on, leaving dark bruises behind. When the tanks began firing upon him, the beast was forced to take cover. Despite this minor victory, the damage had been done. The way was open for the dark knights, and they began to stream back into the allied forces. A retreat was called, and the allied forces backtracked over the rubble and to their previous positions, though not without casualties.

It was during this time that the Overseer had revealed a new weapon. The beast stood atop a small building, holding in his hand a wicked looking crossbow. It was made of the same material as his hammer, being similar in appearance to obsidian but harder than any known substance. While the allies retreated, he fired upon them, the bolts fired from the crossbow piercing even through armor. The Overseer appeared to be able to fire three different kinds of bolts. The first type was made of the same material as the crossbow, and was able to pierce through several feet of solid rock before being stopped. With such incredible penetration power, practically no one had any kind of defense against it. The down side of this bolt was that it could only target one unit at a time.

The second type of bolt was far more destructive. It was not tangible, like the first bolt, but instead consisted of the same violet flames that were associated with the Overseer. Upon impact, these bolts would explode violently, destroying anything nearby. However, the downsides were much more pronounced. These flame bolts were unable to penetrate anything, meaning that the tanks and other armored vehicles were completely unharmed by them, and that infantry could hide from them behind cover. They also moved much slower than the first kind, allowing soldiers ample time to dodge. Despite this, the Overseer used these bolts to deadly effect by targeting clumps of soldiers and dark knights that were engaging in melee combat, killing all of them, including the dark knights.

The third kind was the opposite of the second. These bolts were icy, and froze anything it hit into a solid block of ice. However, it appeared that these bolts kept their victims alive, as any victim hit by them were soon carted away by two or three dark knights, presumably heading back towards Pandemonium. The Overseer tended to target high-ranking individuals with these bolts. None of the other soldiers dared to guess what the Emperor had in store for those unlucky enough to be frozen.

Finally, at the cost of hundreds of soldiers, the allied forces managed to regain their previous position. However, they were not given enough time to set up. Silvarion had at last grew tired of the copters, and had managed to destroy them with a few well-aimed breath attacks, leaving him free to harry the allied troops once again.

Everything began to fall apart for the allied forces. With the Overseer there, the anti-air emplacements were swiftly targeted and destroyed by his arrows, leaving Silvarion free to swoop down and unleash withering blasts of its corrosive breath onto the artillery, melting tanks and APCs down into nothingness.

The allied commanders ordered a full retreat when the battle showed signs of turning into a massacre. They had bought as much time as possible, as per their orders.

They could only hope that the infiltration team had succeeded in getting into Pandemonium, else all of their efforts would have been in vain.

* * *

The Emperor sat upon his throne, his cheek resting on his fist. In front of him was the holographic display that he had created, upon which was an aerial view of the battlefield. He was watching the skirmish between his troops and the humans intently. While the battle was clearly in his favor, he had taken more casualties than expected. Thus, the Emperor was observing the humans closely, intent on discovering what strategies they used. If he could learn from these strategies, his deadly force would become even more deadly.

Shirako stood beside the Emperor, wearing a fresh set of clothes. Unlike his previous black clothing, the general now wore a set of tight fitting robes that were the same color as his skin. The edges of the fabric were colored blood red, to match his eyes. Shirako was also watching the battlefield, looking mildly interested.

"To be able to withstand the attacks of both the Overseer and Silvarion…we certainly underestimated the humans' resourcefulness," the Emperor remarked calmly. Shirako turned his head, somewhat surprised at that statement.

"Insects, although intelligent, are still just insects," Shirako replied derisively. Mateus adopted a cruel smile, nodding in agreement.

"Perhaps. However, that one human was capable of pushing you to transform," the Emperor reminded the general. Instead of being irritated as one might expect, Shirako laughed.

"Very true. However, I am not convinced that he was entirely human. His level of strength was far greater than yours back when we first met," the albino told the Emperor. Now Mateus looked mildly surprised.

"Really? Interesting. When Tsumire returns, I shall send her to investigate this church you mentioned. If the humans possess an establishment capable of producing such capable warriors, it may be a matter of some concern," he resolved. Shirako nodded, expressing his approval.

"You seem more perceptive than I remember, Mateus," the general pointed out. The Emperor frowned slightly upon hearing Shirako use his name in such a familiar manner. However, the general brought up a valid point.

"I suppose you deserve to know. I was in another world, to put it bluntly. It was an endless world where true death was impossible, and one such as myself had the opportunity to observe the actions of countless other warriors, as well as those of the gods themselves," Mateus answered, his frown deepening as he recalled his time in Shinryu's realm. Every plan he made to escape the cycle save for his most recent had ended in failure, a fact that had forced him to rethink his strategy and tactics countless times. The mistakes that had ended in failure had been branded into his mind. He would never make such mistakes again.

"Intriguing. That would explain why you were conspicuously absent from Hell. The Overseer had been ruling Hell in your place, as there was no longer anyone left to fill that role," Shirako responded. Mateus found it odd that the general accepted his truncated story so readily, when he still found it hard to believe himself.

"Aside from yourself?" Mateus prompted. Shirako scoffed at that suggestion.

"I'm not interested in holding a title, and even less interested in dealing with the bureaucratic nonsense that comes with it. The Overseer was more suited to the job than I," the general explained. The Emperor allowed himself a slightly amused smile. He couldn't see Shirako doing the countless hours of work that came with being the lord of Hell. Mateus, however, had enjoyed the work during his time as the Lord of Hell, as it gave him satisfaction to know that every sentient being in his domain was entirely dependent on him to keep things running. Just as it should have been.

"I have a few more questions to ask about the current state of affairs in Hell, but for now it appears that Tsumire has returned," the Emperor pointed out, easily sensing the female general's power heading in his direction. Shirako sighed irritably and turned to leave.

"Then I shall take my leave. I am in no mood to be fawned over like a exhibit on display," the general informed the Emperor. Mateus tilted his head to one side, interested in what he had just heard. In the time he had been in Shinryu's realm, had Tsumire perhaps develop an attachment to his strongest general? If true, that information could easily be of use to him.

Shirako reached the edge of the tile floor, and then he executed a swan dive, heading directly down the several miles between this floor and the ground. No doubt he was going to join the battle himself, as the albino was quickly tiring of the whole situation.

Tsumire arrived soon after that, her lithe form rising through the crystal floor, as she was so fond of doing. Instead of her previous outfit, she was instead wearing a pink kimono with flower and heart motifs scattered across its silky surface. The Emperor quirked an eyebrow at her change in wardrobe.

"Where did you find time to change? I was sure I sent you on a reconnaissance mission," Mateus asked in a dangerously soft voice. Tsumire giggled in a girlish manner, glancing down at her new clothes in barely suppressed delight.

"No no, you don't understand. I found this in the window of a shop on my way back. Can you believe they were selling this for ten times the price of anything else in the shop? I think it was supposed to be a display piece, but I 'persuaded' the owner to part with it for free. Of course, I wanted to get two other cute outfits I found in there as well, but I didn't have enough hands. You see, they just don't have this stuff in Hell, so I had to…"

"Tsumire," Mateus interrupted, his eyes narrowing in concealed irritation. The general cut off mid sentence, looking annoyed that she had been interrupted.

"What?"

"The mission," The Emperor reminded her. Tsumire pouted, realizing that he was just not interested in her incredible sense of fashion.

"Fine, fine. Yes, I got all the information you wanted. Let me show you what I found," the general replied, getting down to business at last. She snapped her fingers, and the outline of an irregular shape formed in midair. It was a fairly large shape, such that it was three times the width of the throne upon which the Emperor sat.

The Emperor was confused as to what the shape was supposed to be until a flashing red dot appeared in the upper left corner of the shape. It was labeled "Palamecia." As Mateus watched, small features began to fill the shape, until he realized he was looking at a large map. Thin blue lines spidered across the map, often bulging out into much larger areas of blue. Mateus deduced that those lines must be rivers, and the larger blue areas were various bodies of water.

The map started filling up with different colors. Greens and browns indicated different climates and biomes. The Emperor could see so many different geographical features all in one hologram. He was impressed by Tsumire's ability and memory. Quirks aside, she was the best reconnaissance agent he'd ever had the pleasure of working with. Of course, she was no slouch in battle either, being much stronger than Shuryo. She was nearly equal in power to the Overseer, though Mateus had no doubt she would win in that fight due to her superior intellect.

"This is Mercadia, the country that you chose to conquer first. Bordering it to the north is Perosia, a war-like country that is currently at war with Mercadia," Tsumire began. She had a lot of ground to cover, figuratively speaking.

"I see. In that case, this Perosia will most certainly renew their assault should they learn of Mercadia's current instability. Can I trust you to watch them? I would like to have some warning if they do decide to attack," the Emperor requested. Tsumire smiled.

"I can handle that. I'll send a few of my personal scouts to the northern border immediately," she replied obediently. Mateus nodded in satisfaction and then motioned for her to continue her explanation. "To the south is a country called Cerynth, allies of Mercadia and mostly known for their art, though they do possess a strong military presence and have often come to Mercadia's aid in the war against Perosia. Fortunately, Cerynth has shown no signs of being aware of our rule."

"Two potential enemies have been presented to me. It appears that we will have our hands full," Mateus remarked, though he didn't appear to be particularly worried.

"To the East is a war-torn country called Reijr. The information I found makes it sound like Reijr is constantly warring with their neighbors Wseria and Lredan, and as such should be make for an easy target once our war with this country is finished. Lastly, the Gradine Ocean borders our country to the west. Mercadia has several naval bases located there," Tsumire paused and gestured at the holographic map. Cyan points of light appeared in seemingly random locations just off the coast of Mercadia. "It is from there that the humans attempted to flank us with their fleet."

"Those will need to be taken care of. However, that is a discussion for another time. Continue, if you will," Mateus noted. Tsumire nodded. She gestured again, and the hologram of Mercadia was suddenly divided into several irregularly shaped regions.

"Mercadia consists of five different regions, each having their own governor that answers to the Magistrate…who is currently dead. So I guess that means you now. Anyhow, the region we're in is this one," Tsumire waved her hand, and the other regions faded to near transparency so that the region in question could be highlighted. The pulsing dot that was Palamecia was the only settlement shown on it. "Palamecia, or Nieman as it was called before we arrived, is a major center of commerce for the country. It is from here that goods are traded between Mercadia and countries across the sea, and as such the docks see heavy activity. If we want to kick start our economy after the war is over, starting here would be a sound decision."

"Palamecia is an incredibly defensible city, as we have seen. The Niem Mountains surround the region on all sides except to the west, where the ocean is. The humans circumvented this barrier by constructing tunnels through the range and establishing airlines that could carry important individuals to and from Palamecia, which is the capitol of the country and region," the general continued. Tsumire again gestured, and the rest of the hologram became opaque again. To the Emperor's surprise, the region on the complete opposite end of the country was the one she focused on next.

"I skip to this region because you may be more interested in this one. This is the Church Precinct, where the cathedral town of Krystmar can be found," Tsumire explained when she saw the Emperor's raised eyebrow.

"Ah, the church that Shirako told me about. They appear to train powerful warriors there. The one Shirako defeated was stronger than you are at the height of his power," the Emperor informed Tsumire, who was less than happy at that declaration.

"WHAT?!" shrieked the understandably incredulous general. "Me? Weaker than a human? That's preposterous, not to mention insulting!"

"Nevertheless, the human was strong enough to overpower Shirako's base form," Mateus replied with a hint of amusement in his voice. Tsumire spent a moment ranting under her breath before continuing with her explanation.

"Anyhow, the Church of Krysan has its headquarters there. They have a church set up in every town in every region, indicating that their teachings are the sole practiced religion in Mercadia. My intelligence suggests that they have a military presence separate from the one we're fighting now. Also, there are rumors of a force called the templars, or holy knights that supposedly wield the power of light to root out evil. Can you believe that?"

"I can. These templars are real, as I have sensed their magical power. There were at least two present with the humans' initial force: one was the man that Shirako defeated, and the other is tangling with Shuryo now," Mateus responded sharply. Tsumire did a double take and then adopted a look of concentration as she searched for sources of magical power. Her eyes widened after a moment.

"I can sense him! He's…he's about equal to Shuryo in strength! My lord…" Tsumire began, but then cut off. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure if she should.

"Speak, Tsumire," Mateus demanded. Tsumire jumped and nodded.

"Do…do you think Firion has something to do with this? I've never heard of anyone other than him and his companions that were strong enough to fight us on equal terms, and now several more are popping out of the woodwork! It can't be coincidence," Tsumire expressed, softly at first, but soon grew more confident. The Emperor shook his head immediately.

"Firion cannot interfere with my conquest. The world that I came from is relentless and unforgiving, and it was only through the skills of another as well as a great deal of skill to reach this world. Firion is trapped. Do not worry," the Emperor reassured her. What he didn't bother saying was that it didn't matter whether Firion and the other Cosmos warriors were able to come through. None of them were even half as strong as what he was now.

"Oh, good. I'm sorry. Firion was so strong back then, it was a little frightening," Tsumire admitted. Then she straightened up. "But I've gotten so much stronger since then."

"I look forward to seeing your power in action. Now, I believe you were talking about the Church of Krysan?"

"Oh, right. So this guy called the Archbishop, who's supposedly a conduit between humanity and Krysan, their god, leads them. Usually the Church doesn't get involved with matters of state such as this, but it looks like they made an exception for us. You know, since we're demons." Tsumire laughed at her little joke before continuing.

"Right, enough about them. I'm going to list off the last four regions and tell you what they do. The two nearest ones are Icemount and Midland, bordering Palamecia to the east and south, respectively. Icemount is characterized by the particularly high elevation and frequent snowfall. Their cities are defended by lots of artillery and aircraft, as traversing the region on foot is slow going. Midland is a plain, with all those rivers nearby. Damn, I feel like a geography teacher." Tsumire took a moment to point out everything she had just talked about on the map for the Emperor to see. Mateus made sure to commit to memory everything he was being told, so that he could call upon it later when devising strategies for the war.

"Lastly, we have Kulcry and Rysal regions. I believe you're already quite familiar with the Rysal region, as reports say that the first sightings of you occurred in its capitol, the city of New Rysal. Now, that's all for this country. If I may make a suggestion, I think it would be wise for Silvarion to cart us over to Krystmar so we can crush them first, and then we can let the dark knights do the rest." Tsumire at last finished her long report. As always, Tsumire had done a satisfactory job in gathering intelligence. The Emperor refrained from complimenting her, as he knew it would just go straight to her head.

"I see. We can discuss potential strategies once this battle is over," the Emperor replied. He stood up elegantly, and then glided forward, his form levitating a foot off of the ground. "Stay here. Shuryo appears to be having trouble taking down their leader. I wish to see their battle for myself," Mateus ordered. Tsumire didn't look happy at being left behind, but she didn't dare disobey him. She sighed and sat down on the ground, pouting like the young teen she resembled.

The Emperor faded to nothing, disappearing from Tsumire's view. The power he was sensing from Shuryo's opponent wasn't as strong as the other templar's had been, but it was still worth seeing. He hoped he would be given a good show.

* * *

The battle between Lyrin and Shuryo was only intensifying. They streaked through the air at speeds faster than the human eye could see. To the two gunners in the command tank, all they could see was a streak of white light and a streak of dark green light zooming and twisting in midair, small explosions occurring whenever the two would clash.

The very earth around them seemed to quake with the incredible amount of magical power exhibited by both warriors. Hills would break and rock formations would shatter, sending debris flying in all directions.

Lyrin met Shuryo in midair, their respective blades clashing against one another. Shuryo went to stab Lyrin with his free dagger, but Lyrin removed one of his hands from the hilt of his sword and grabbed onto the general's wrist. Lyrin seized the opportunity to smash his head into the general's. Shuryo recoiled back, but was unable to retreat because of Lyrin's grip on his wrist. Lyrin focused some of his magical power into his fist and squeezed hard. There was a crack, and then Shuryo grunted in intense pain. The general was forced to drop his dagger, which fell to the ground far beneath them.

Lyrin was sure he had dislocated Shuryo's wrist. He kicked Shuryo viciously in the chest, releasing his wrist at the same time. The general was sent hurtling to the ground, creating a crater in the spot where he landed. Lyrin shot downwards in pursuit of Shuryo.

The general saw Lyrin coming. Shuryo popped his wrist back into place, and then switched his remaining dagger to his other hand. His newly freed hand began to glow with a green light, and a cloud of dark green magical power formed there, just in time to block Lyrin's strike. The Magistrate was surprised that his blade was blocked, but he couldn't contemplate the reason before Shuryo slashed at him with his dagger. Lyrin leapt backwards, but couldn't avoid gaining a shallow gash on the right side of his torso.

Lyrin retaliated with a horizontal slice, but at the last moment changed the sword's trajectory, bypassing Shuryo's guard and cutting the general on the shoulder. Shuryo grunted and then blasted Lyrin in the middle with a concentrated blast of magic power.

Lyrin was sent flying backwards. He halted his momentum by slamming his sword point down into the ground. He still skidded backwards, but to a much lesser extent.

Shuryo executed a series of strange gestures in the air, drawing a complex rune in midair with dark green magic power. Lyrin recognized the rune as being a character from the old tongue, the same language in which the original book of Krysan was written. It was the symbol for "blade."

When the general hurled the rune, Lyrin instinctively dodged, but then realized that Shuryo had not been aiming for him. The rune hit the ground to Lyrin's left and stuck there, glowing a bright green. Before Lyrin could consider the ramifications of such a technique, Shuryo was already tossing another rune. This time, it was the symbol for "pain." This rune landed to Lyrin's right. Lyrin realized that these runes signified the set-up for a powerful attack.

Once Lyrin realized this, he dodged out from between the two runes. Shuryo appeared directly behind him, lunging at the Magistrate with a crackling green fist. Lyrin had expected this, and ducked beneath the fist and grabbed hold of the general's arm. Using the arm, Lyrin hurled the general over his shoulder. To follow up this attack, Lyrin sent a beam of light zooming towards him, but Shuryo managed to twist himself in midair, deflecting the beam with his hand.

When Shuryo landed, he created another rune. This rune was the symbol for "blood." This rune did not bode well for Lyrin. This time, the rune landed near the first two, and Lyrin realized that he was creating a diamond shape with the runes. To complete the diamond, the Shuryo placed the symbol for "power." Thankfully, Lyrin was nowhere near the diamond of runes.

"What are you planning to do with that? I'm nowhere near it," Lyrin asked curiously, taking a moment to catch his breath. Shuryo sighed.

"You fight well, but you're lacking in perception. This diamond will be your end," Shuryo replied darkly, and then drew one final rune. Lyrin realized with shock that it was the symbol for "movement." Shuryo snapped his fingers and the rune dissipated into midair.

Lyrin went to move, and found that he couldn't. He saw the rune for pain near him, and then looked around to see that the diamond had moved so that he was directly in the center. The runes were glowing brighter and brighter. Lyrin could sense immense magical power from them, and it was growing by the second.

"Hell's Crucifix!" Shuryo declared, and then clenched his fist. Lyrin only had a second of warning before all of the runes ignited with emerald flame. Each rune sent a wave of green energy towards the center of the diamond, colliding with Lyrin and exploding violently.

Lyrin didn't know how to describe the feelings that he experienced in the next few seconds. It felt like every single nerve in his body was on fire, alight with a burning pain the likes of which he'd never felt before. Even as he felt this, something sharp repeatedly slashed at his body, opening wound after wound on his body. Lyrin screamed until his voice was hoarse. It had only been a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime to him.

When the blast at last faded away, Lyrin collapsed tot eh ground. He managed to hold himself up with one arm, but he was far from all right. His long black hair that was usually tied up behind his head was now scorched and hanging down in front of his face. His suit was hanging off of him in blood-soaked rags. He panted heavily, attempting to regain his breath. Blood dripped to the ground from his multiple wounds. He felt light-headed.

Despite all of this, Lyrin adopted a confident smirk. He gazed up at Shuryo with bloodshot eyes. Shuryo seemed confused by Lyrin's demeanor.

"I think…it is you…who has a lack of perception," Lyrin managed to get out between gritted teeth. Shuryo's eyes widened as the Magistrate shot a hand out, which glowed briefly with a white light. From the ground by Shuryo's feet, two serpent shaped streams of light broke through the surface and coiled around Shuryo's feet to prevent his movement.

"What…is this?!" Shuryo exclaimed, trying to free himself in vain from the burning jaws of the light snakes. Lyrin grinned, and then clenched his fist.

"Divine Serpents!" he declared, and then two larger snakes erupted from the ground on either side of Shuryo. These streams of light shot towards the general and coiled around him, slithering up his body and constricting any form of movement. Shuryo roared in pain as the serpents began burning his skin simply by being in contact with him.

Finally, Lyrin shot out his other hand, and a massive stream of light shot out of his palm and quickly took on the shape of a massive, detailed serpent. The serpent of light opened its mouth and hissed loudly before swallowing Shuryo whole. Seconds later, all of the snakes exploded violently. Shuryo's screams were the only indication that the general was still alive.

When the light faded, Shuryo now looked even worse than Lyrin did. The general's clothes were shredded and burnt. His hood has been completely incinerated, revealing Shuryo's face in its entirety. Blood oozed steadily from the wounds inflicted upon him by both the explosion and the snakes' fangs.

Lyrin couldn't help but chuckle at the situation. "This is pointless. I doubt any of us can fight much longer after getting hit by attacks like those," he expressed. Shuryo nodded once in agreement, panting heavily.

"We need to end this, Lyrin Emerius. I'll put all of my remaining power into one last attack," Shuryo declared. The general lifted his remaining dagger, and then his entire body began to glow with his signature dark green aura. He slowly returned to his feet, his yellow eyes grim with determination. "Whatever the outcome, know that it has been an honor to fight with you."

Lyrin chuckled again, also hoisting himself to his feet. He stumbled a bit, but managed to use his sword to hold himself up. He summoned up his remaining magical power, surrounding him and his blade with a white aura. "I agree, Shuryo. You are odd for a demon. You don't seem evil. If I may ask, why do you serve the Emperor?"

"He...created me. I am in his debt for giving me the gift of existence. Eliminating those that oppose him is the least I can do," Shuryo revealed. Lyrin blinked. He hadn't expected an answer like that. "I am also known as X-50. I am the one thousand and two hundredth artificial demon created by the Emperor in his search for the perfect soldier. I was the only one he deemed capable; that is something for which I will always be grateful."

"I see. Then I suppose asking you to walk away would be rude of me," Lyrin responded. It was an odd tale to swallow, but Lyrin had realized that anything was possible, for the demons of hell were real.

"Enough talk. Come, Lyrin Emerius, Magistrate of Mercadia," Shuryo at last said, beckoning to Lyrin. The Magistrate planted his foot into the ground.

Then, with each warrior shouting battle cries, Lyrin and Shuryo charged towards one another, their respective weapons held high. Time seemed to slow down as the two drew closer to one another. Their blades met.

The resulting explosion that occurred from the collision of two sources of incredible magical power shot into the air in the form of a dark green and white pillar of light that could be seen for miles. The clouds evaporated around the pillar, revealing the blue, untouched sky.

When the explosion faded away at least, Shuryo and Lyrin could be seen facing away from one another in positions opposite to those from which they started. A single moment passed with no movement from either warrior, and then blood exploded from Shuryo's chest, coming from an extensive gash left on him by Lyrin's blade.

"My lor..d….Mat…eus…" Shuryo groaned, and then the mighty general fell to the ground, and did not move. Lyrin could be heard panting hard. He was victorious, but he hadn't escaped from that explosion unscathed. There was a bloody wound beginning at his right shoulder and ending at his left hip. It oozed blood steadily, which soon took its toll on the Magistrate. Lyrin collapsed heavily to the ground.

"Ha…I did it…Rianna…please smile…" Lyrin murmured, barely able to move. He laid there for a minute or so longer, and then he felt hands roaming over his body, patching up his wounds. Lyrin turned his head to see the two gunners from the command tank, both of whom seemed ecstatic.

"You did it, sir!" the first congratulated him as he pressed a hot bandage over one of Lyrin's cuts. The Magistrate hissed in pain, but he allowed it to continue.

"You have my respect for life, Magistrate!" the second added. Lyrin laughed weakly, but couldn't summon up the energy to say anything else. For once, Lyrin believed that things would go well.

That is, until Emperor Mateus himself appeared just next to the command tank. Adrenaline and shock rushed through Lyrin's body, and he was on his feet in a second, despite his wounds. He wasn't losing blood nearly as fast as he had been, thanks to the gunners' administrations. Lyrin glared at the Emperor, who was wearing a calm smile. Lyrin didn't understand how this was possible. Martin and the commandoes were supposed to have taken care of the Emperor, so why didn't he even have a scratch on him?

The two gunners immediately leveled their weapons and opened fire upon the menacing figure that glided closer and closer. Each of the bullets melted into nothingness before even reaching him, rendering them useless. Before Lyrin could do anything, the two gunners had died in an explosion of blood and gore, eviscerated by multiple crimson blades formed from magical power.

"You are the leader of this country, correct?" the Emperor asked, even though he already knew the answer. Lyrin nodded breathlessly, still in shock that Martin seemed to have failed. Mateus then looked at the fallen form of Shuryo with distaste.

"I must say I am impressed. I hadn't expected even one of my generals to fall in this battle, but you humans continue to surprise," Mateus complimented Lyrin, who blinked at the praise. "I suppose I must recognize you as being stronger than Shuryo."

"What's…your point?" Lyrin growled, clenching his blade with both hands. He knew full well that it was very likely that he was going to die here. He wasn't sure if he stood a chance against the Emperor.

"I have no use for a weakling such as him. How would you like to replace him as one of my Five Generals?" Lyrin couldn't believe his ears. Did the Emperor seriously just ask him that? Did he really think that Lyrin would betray his country and morals simply because he asked? Lyrin grew enraged.

"My…lord?!" Lyrin heard Shuryo ask in a disbelieving, despairing tone of voice. Lyrin suddenly felt empathetic towards the demon. He had just told Lyrin that he believed he owed the Emperor everything, and now he was finding out that the Emperor never cared. Lyrin grew even angrier. Shuryo was his creation! It was like raising a daughter for fifteen years and then telling her she mattered nothing to him.

"Silence, Shuryo. You are of no use to me if you cannot even defeat a mere human," the Emperor's tone turned from cajoling to iron hard. "Begone."

"You…!" Shuryo snarled, leaping to his feet despite his injuries. He held his dagger in one hand, and then sprinted towards the Emperor. Mateus blocked Shuryo's initial strike with a cerulean barrier, looking bored. "I…I…how could you?! Was I not your perfect creation?! Was I not the only capable soldier out of hundreds of failures?"

Shuryo continued to slash at the Emperor, but nothing ever managed to get past his barriers, which seemed to be nearly impenetratable.

"You have proven to me today that you were, in fact, another failure. I have no use for failures. Now, you shall share the fate of your previous brethren," Mateus replied calmly. Shuryo's expression began to show emotion for the first time since Lyrin had seen him. The general was distraught, and Lyrin could swear he saw the glint of a tear in his eye.

Shuryo yelled hoarsely and tried to use magic, only to find that he had none left, heaving used it on Lyrin. "You…after everything we've been through…father…" Shuryo's voice rose in volume as he madly slashed and cut at the Emperor in vain. Lyrin heard the general refer to the Emperor as father, which made sense considering Mateus had created him.

"Do not call me that. I am no father, and you are certainly no son," Emperor Mateus snapped, and then Shuryo was engulfed in a massive pillar of fire and lightning, released from the Emperor's pale hand. The general cried out in pain and despair, and then Shuryo turned to look at Lyrin. Their eyes met, and Lyrin saw the face of a lost child, abandoned by the only one he'd ever cared about. As the Magistrate watched, Shuryo's body burnt to ashes, which were soon blown away by the wind.

"I believe I must reopen the artificial demon project once again. I must put more work into X-51, so that he does not turn out like his brethren," Mateus mused aloud to himself. Lyrin lost it right then and there. Shuryo hadn't deserved any of what he had just been given.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Lyrin roared, grabbing his blade and charging at the Emperor. Mateus sighed and swiped his hand to the side, engulfing Lyrin in a wave of fire. Lyrin's screams were piercing as every wound on his body was cauterized and his skin was scorched.

"Lie where you fall, lowly worm. An insect may dream of reaching the moon, but that is all it is. A dream," the Emperor snapped scathingly. Lyrin was now flat on the ground, wheezing heavily. He could hardly breathe; his body was burning with pain. "Now, I believe I will end your miserable life."

"Wait!" Lyrin coughed, just as the Emperor's hand rose to deal the finishing blow. Mateus's hand stopped moving, as the Emperor gazed down at Lyrin in a condescending manner. "Tell me…just one thing. Martin…what happened to him?"

Suddenly, a figure that Lyrin had hoped to never see again appeared just next to the Emperor. Lyrin's eyes opened wide and his expression was set into one of shocked rage.

"He's dead, killed by my hand," Shirako answered, tossing Father Martin's holy blade to the ground in front of Lyrin, who gasped in horror. When the general noticed Lyrin glaring at him in utter hatred, the albino looked pensive. "Hm, you look familiar. Where have I seen that look before?"

"Y…YOU!" Lyrin shouted hoarsely. Lyrin tried to rise, but he couldn't move a single muscle. "You…YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!"

"Now I remember!" Shirako exclaimed, and then a wicked grin crossed his face. "You were that kid who was with those other fools that woke me up a decade back. I left you alive because I was too tired to finish you off. What a coincidence!"

"Sh…SHUT UP! YOU TOOK MY WIFE, AND NOW YOU TOOK MY FATHER!" Lyrin's voice was beginning to crack and give out, but he was too furious to care. He could never forget those smiling black lips, or those ruby red eyes.

* * *

_ "Ri…Rianna…?" Lyrin asked, desperately trying to get the attention of the girl he held in his arms. He could feel something warm and sticky on his arms and face, and he knew that it was her blood. He felt hope flutter in his chest when Rianna's eyes opened ever so slightly._

_ "Ly…Lyrin…you'r…e…okay…" Rianna whispered weakly. Her voice was so quiet, that Lyrin had to lean in closer to hear her. "I'm…so glad…"_

_ "Rianna…it's all right! The…the demon…he left! We can go home now," Lyrin did his best to reassure her, smiling slightly. His smile vanished when Rianna shook her head._

_ "No, Lyrin. I can't…he…cut a hole right through me…" Rianna lifted her hand from her stomach, showing Lyrin a jagged hole that went straight through her internal organs. Lyrin gasped in shock, tears forming in his eyes. "You need to leave…tell his Holiness…please…"_

_ "No! Rianna! Don't…don't leave me! I love you! I can't lose you!" Lyrin screamed, his eyes screwed shut. Rianna smiled weakly, and her hand reached up and cupped Lyrin's face. Lyrin placed his own hand against hers, holding her hand there._

_ "It's okay, Lyrin…I'm happy…the time we spent together…was like a dream…" Rianna's voice grew weaker and weaker. Lyrin could do nothing except watch the love of his life slowly die in his arms. "Please…keep your promise to me…and live. I love you, Lyrin…"_

_ Lyrin felt her hand go limp in his, and he let out one last, despairing gasp. Rianna's eyes had shut, and her body went limp in his arms. He slowly lowered her to the ground, fervently wishing that everything had been just a horrible nightmare, and he would wake up soon. At last, Lyrin broke down, unable to keep his composure._

_ "RIANNAAAAAAAAA!"_

* * *

"Oh, that girl who was with you was your wife? Hah! That just makes my memories of that time sweeter. I bet that caused you a lot of pain," Shirako taunted, laughing at the enraged look on Lyrin's face. "Come on. Tell me you hate me. How you want to kill me."

Lyrin tried to hoist himself up off the ground, only for Shirako to slam his foot down on the Magistrate's head, pressing his nose into the ground, breaking it.

"Humans. You're all worthless, insignificant trash. Die, like the insect you are," Shirako snarled venomously, grinding his heel on Lyrin, eliciting more screams of pain from him.

Lyrin could feel himself slipping away. It was getting too hard to remain conscious, as his body wanted to shield his mind from all of the pain he was feeling. He didn't want to die. If he died now, he would never be able to look Rianna in the eye. He promised to keep this world safe, and he hadn't fulfilled that promise yet.

The pressure released from his head as Shirako lifted his boot to deal the final blow. However, the blow never came. Lyrin felt a warm wind ruffle his tangled clothes and hair, and then there was an explosion and a cry of pain. Lyrin could hardly believe it. He couldn't see what was going on, but he didn't need to. He could sense the soothing magical power that swept over his burnt and blackened body, cleansing his wounds and deadening the pain. He knew immediately whom it was that had arrived.

It was an older man, wearing simple, yet elegant white robes. He was holding an ornate staff that was glowing with golden light at the tip. His hair was a pure white, trimmed close to his scalp. There was a grim expression on the man's usually kindly face.

"Y…your Holiness?" Lyrin gasped from his position on the ground. Archbishop Vicard gave the Magistrate a kind smile, before returning his gaze back to the Emperor.

Shirako, who Lyrin recognized as Rianna's murderer, was lying on the ground, burn marks all over his body. "That's some powerful magic," the general hissed, wiping a trail of blood that had been trickling from his mouth.

"Many good men have been lost in this battle. You have all fought admirably, but it's time to retreat," Vicard said, addressing his words to Lyrin. The Magistrate was able to hoist himself to his feet, as Vicard's holy magic was making it so that he couldn't feel the pain as much before. Even so, Lyrin was a wreck. If he didn't get medical attention soon, then he would most certainly die.

"Archbishop…then you must be the leader of the Church of Krysan. By coming here, you have effectively hastened your demise," Mateus declared. The Emperor flared out his robes, preparing himself for battle. "Shirako, I suggest you stay there. It would be best not to underestimate this man."

"You misunderstand my intent, Emperor Mateus. I did not come to battle with you. I am here for my dear student," Vicard explained, giving another glance to Lyrin. The Magistrate was confused. He had left the church of Krysan a long time ago, and as such he hadn't been in contact with the Archbishop for a similar amount of time. If Vicard himself was here, saving his life, did that mean he still cared?

"You have won your battle, demons. I suggest you take solace in that fact, and retreat to treat your injured. Allow me to spirit the rest of the humans away, and leave your city in peace," the Archbishop reasoned. Lyrin noticed how diplomatic he was being. The Archbishop despised the forces of evil, but he was not stupid. The Emperor was incredibly powerful, and so were his generals. It would accomplish nothing for him to sacrifice himself in a battle he couldn't win, despite his overwhelming control over the powers of light.

"And, if I don't?" Mateus asked softly, his eyes glinting malevolently. The Emperor lifted a hand, a bluish black orb growing in his palm to a relatively large size. Vicard did not retreat; no sign of fear appeared on his aging face. The Emperor smirked, and then shot his hand forward. The orb lengthened into a particle beam of incredible power that hurtled through the air directly towards the Archbishop.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Vicard's free hand glowed, and a small plate-like barrier of golden light formed there. He blocked the particle beam with this newly formed barrier, and then redirected it towards the sky. Then, with a roar, Vicard lifted his staff into the air. The orb began to glow with a bright light. Finally, he slammed the staff down to the ground, summoning a massive pillar of light down from the heavens. The light slammed directly onto the Emperor with a sound akin to thunder. The earth shook under Lyrin's feet from the impact, cracks spidering through the ground. There was so much magical power coming from the colossal explosion that Lyrin could barely keep his feet.

He didn't need to. Lyrin felt Vicard's strong hand grip his arm, and then his world went white.

The explosion dissipated, revealing a pale yellow, spherical barrier surrounding the Emperor. Despite this, there were a few burns on his skin that he had received before erecting the barrier. Mateus looked annoyed, but that was all.

"That did not go as planned," Mateus stated. He turned the other direction, his violet robes flowing out behind him. "Come, Shirako. It is time for us to convene once more. This is only one battle in our conquest."

Shirako followed wordlessly, giving one last worried glance at where Vicard had been standing.

It appeared that the war with the humans would be harder than they all had expected.

* * *

The remnants of the human forces were still attempting to put up a fight. Several pockets of resistance had hidden themselves in various positions throughout the city, executing hit and run attacks on the Emperor's forces. There were very few aircraft in the air, but they were doing their best to deal as much damage as possible before retreating before Silvarion and his dragons.

Despite this, it all came to an end when every single human unit still alive and fighting received a single message.

"_This is Archbishop Vicard, calling from Krystmar. Magistrate Lyrin is here with me, injured badly by the Emperor and his generals. In the absence of your commander, I am assuming command of the military until such time as Lyrin is capable of doing so once more. _

_ The battle is lost. Nieman…is lost. It is time that we all accept this fact. I am ordering all units to retreat to safety immediately. You will be contacted again in the near future with further orders. Vicard, out."_

With that message, all morale was lost, and the human forces routed. Relentlessly pursued by the dark knights, the humans retreated en masse. The battle was over, and Nieman would continue to be known as Palamecia.

And yet the war was only just beginning.

* * *

Finally, it's over. God, that was a hard chapter to write. Not to mention depressing. I don't like killing off characters, but I know that it has to be done, especially in a story like this. It was hard enough killing off Claire, especially after I'd given her so much character development. Also, Shuryo. God, I felt so sad writing his death. As I wrote about him, I grew to like his character a lot. A villain that isn't really a villain, but instead acts the way he does out of gratitude to the major villain. Sort of like Tia Halibel from Bleach, and Juvia from Fairy Tail. Actually, I admit taking some inspiration from these scenes. Aizen shows up, says oh by the way, I have no use for you…die. Pretty much what the Emperor did, except he didn't cut down Shuryo in the middle of the fight, but at the end.

This war is far from over. Hell, it is really far from over. When Tsumire showed up, she only set the stage for the rest of the war. It'll be a little like Advance Wars, with generals heading to each region and having large-scale battles. Then I'll get around to the actual dark power that I talked about in the summary. My greatest original villain!

Anyhow, shoutouts!

**Karthik9**: Here's your future update, good sir! I will keep churning this out at an incredible…unpredictable rate. Thanks for leaving a review!

**Fadedsolitude28**: I feel like your profile picture changed again. I don't even know. It looks a little different every time I look, but it's always the awesome Emperor. Oh, and he will be appearing in practically every chapter from here on out, because I'm past introducing all of the characters. He's a very curious guy, seeing as he likes to pop in unannounced into people's battles.

**Justyoumi**: I love this guy. Every chapter gets reviewed. It's glorious. I'm glad you liked the Martin Shirako fight. I loved Martin as a character, so I was really sad when I had to kill him off. Actually, I'd already intended for Martin to die by Shirako's hand when I first created his character, but I hadn't expected to love writing about him. The angel idea was a symbolic thing. I was thinking about a power for him, and decided to give him an angelic motif due to his affiliation with Krysan. Haven't seen of Devil May Cry, though. I know it's an anime, but is it any good? Finally, Lyrin did have the upper hand. I had a little Mystogan vs. Laxus moment there, only with Hell's Crucifix and Divine Serpents instead of Tower of Babel and that lightning attack. I almost wanted to kill Lyrin off there, but decided not to after giving him a reason to fight, say, Rianna. Poor Lyrin, Shirako has put him through so much crap.

All right, I'm done. Leave a review for me if you'd like, and I'll get to writing again.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	9. The Conflict Begins

I have been typing this story far more than I should. It just keeps coming to me so fast, while my other stories are giving me trouble. I thought I would end up getting writer's block on the Battle for Palamecia and would leave it there for like, half a year. NOPE! Finished it. Of course, had to kill nearly everyone off, but still.

Now, for the war to truly start.

* * *

The Overseer was the first to arrive in the throne room. The feline hissed softly in pain as he inspected the many bruises that covered his skin. Despite being so physically weak, the humans had compensated with their ingenious weaponry. He hadn't expected to be targeted and forced back so efficiently in his previous battle.

The beast looked around, seeing no one in the room apart from himself. He adopted a feral grin. It wasn't often that the Emperor was late. In the meantime, the Overseer took in the details of the newest addition to the room. There was a fine crystalline table in the center of the room. It was large enough to accommodate six or seven people standing around it, although there were no chairs. On top of the table, a holographic representation of the country in its entirety could be seen resting horizontally atop its crystalline surface.

The Overseer scoffed. That was clearly Tsumire's magic. She did enjoy her flashy illusions. The beast walked up to the table and gazed down at the holographic map.

Soon after that, another general arrived. The Overseer could tell by the powerful gusts of wind that it was Silvarion. The dragon curled itself around the tower as before, its massive head rising above the platform and gazing down at the table, which was miniscule compared to him.

"Greetings, Silvarion," the Overseer greeted his fellow general amiably. The dragon puffed and shifted, trying to get comfortable.

"_Overseer," _was all Silvarion said in response. This did not perturb the beast. He and the dragon had an odd working relationship, to say the least. They were always cordial to one another, give or take the odd sarcastic remark. However, their rivalry was intense.

"How many did you end up killing?" the Overseer asked curiously.

"_I lost count somewhere around five hundred and forty thousand," _Silvarion declared with a hint of pride in his voice. The Overseer gave a small chuckle at that.

"I guess you lose this time around. My final count was around seven hundred thousand. Most likely because I destroyed their entire fleet. And most of their infantry," the Overseer bragged to the dragon, who gave an irritated growl at his loss. "I made sure to leave some for you."

The dragon was about to respond when the two became aware of Tsumire's arrival. Unlike before, the general was wearing light blue kimono with a snowflake motif. A similarly colored headband now held her hair back. She had also put on some make-up, though where she had obtained some was beyond them.

"Well, it looks like the dragon and kitty have arrived. Do you like my map?" Tsumire greeted them both. The Overseer raised an eyebrow at how she addressed him, but said nothing. Instead, he stared quizzically at her different appearance. Tsumire noticed where his eyes were landing and adopted a confident pose. "Ah, I see you noticed my attire? I know, I look good in everything. It should be a crime to be this beautiful."

"Did the Emperor assign you to escort duty?" the Overseer promptly asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Tsumire's indignant response was most telling.

"What kind of question is that?! How dare you?! How would you like it if I asked you if you'd been assigned to _petting _duty!? Huh?! Kitty cat!?" Tsumire shrieked. The Overseer laughed at her response, while Silvarion just shook his massive head, doing the dragon equivalent of a facepalm with a claw.

"I do not have any fur to pet."

"Well…I…THAT DOESN'T MATTER!" Tsumire turned the other way, a pout on her young face. "Asshole."

"As childish as you look."

"HEY! Men like the youthful looks!" Tsumire protested vehemently, running a hand through her raven hair. The Overseer shook his head in exasperation.

"Actually, I prefer women who possess more feline qualities," the Overseer pointed out. Before Tsumire could answer, Silvarion decided to join the conversation.

"_I only prefer dragons. Age does not matter, as the only different between ages is experience and the color of their scales," _the dragon inserted.

"What the…I feel like I'm being ganged up on! This isn't fair! Kitty cats and their conspiracies!" Tsumire's angry glare turned on the dragon next.

"_I am merely pointing out the flaws in your logic."_

Before the conversation could deteriorate any further, Shirako arrived, followed by the Emperor himself. The first thing Tsumire decided to do was run forward, squealing happily at Shirako's appearance. The albino saw her coming and sighed in thinly veiled annoyance. Shirako stepped aside as she reached him, so that Tsumire tripped and fell. The Overseer bit his tongue to keep from laughing aloud, as the Emperor's presence demanded the appearance of professionalism.

Tsumire rose and opened her mouth to complain, only to meet the Emperor's cold gaze. She shivered and looked away, wisely choosing to remain silent.

"It seems that all are present. Good," Mateus observed, gliding across the floor until he stood at the head of the crystal table. Now ready for business, each of the generals assembled as best they could around the table.

"All are present? My lord, I do not see Shuryo amongst us," the Overseer pointed out. All eyes turned to the Emperor expectantly.

"Shuryo has returned to hell…permanently," Mateus replied coldly. Shivers ran down Tsumire's and the Overseer's spine. The loss of Shuryo was just another reminder of what would happen should any of them fail.

"_With all due respect, the Five Generals cannot be complete without the fifth," _Silvarion pointed out. The Emperor nodded in agreement, but did not seem too perturbed.

"Indeed. Silvarion, inform the Demon Forge to prepare for my arrival in an hour," Mateus commanded. The Overseer knew what the Emperor was trying to do. Back in the days of the Wild Rose Rebellion, the Emperor had died at the hands of Firion, and had swiftly taken control of Hell by disposing of the current Lord of Hell.

Then, while the Emperor's previous right hand man, Leon the Black Knight, had seized control of the empire, Mateus had grown an interest in the Demon Forge, and area where demons could be created. From there, the Emperor spent a long time experimenting with different configurations of demons, naming them impersonal codenames.

His first attempts at creating demons had ended in failure, and as such the failed creations were banished to Hell's Cage, a place in which the most dangerous demons and souls were imprisoned. As the previous lord of Hell had been immortal, Mateus had placed him there as well, so that his rule would be unhindered.

X-50 had been the most recent creation, and the first success out of over a thousand attempts. X-50 had been very strong for a created demon, being stronger than any other demon in hell. However, he had still been considered the weakest of the Five Generals.

It made sense that the Emperor would choose to dispose of X-50. He was created to be loyal and unquestioning, without useless emotions to hinder him. The fact that X-50 had chosen a name for himself, Shuryo, was a warning sign to the Emperor that the demon was gaining self-awareness, or a sense of individualism. No doubt the demon would have eventually gained emotions, and would have started to question his existence and motivations.

Upon going through this line of reasoning, it made a little more sense to the Overseer. Shuryo had not been killed because he failed, because the Emperor knew that the weak could become stronger given enough time to train. Instead, he had been killed because he was a ticking time bomb, and would have become a traitor in time. The Overseer inwardly heaved a sigh of relief. He certainly had no intention of betraying the Emperor, so he was safe. The possibility that he could be defeated didn't even cross his mind.

"_It is done," _Silvarion informed the Emperor after a few moments. The Overseer figured that he must have used his telepathy. That was such a useful ability, in his opinion.

"Good. Now, I believe it is time to discuss plans for the conquest of this country," Mateus began. Tsumire obediently highlighted each of the regions on her map in a separate color, with Palamecia being violet.

Shirako immediately pointed at the farthest region from Palamecia, the Church Precinct. The Overseer noticed several tiny dots in this region that indicated towns and cities, and one large dot that was nestled against a mountain range. The large dot was labeled "Krystmar," and was more than likely the region's capital.

"We should assault this place first. If this region falls, then we can finish the war at our leisure," Shirako advised, rather sensibly. Every one of the generals had sensed the power of the two humans that had fought toe to toe with Shirako and Shuryo. If the Church Precinct all had warriors of that strength, it would be prudent to crush them at once with their full might.

"That's a sound idea, but tactically flawed. If we all attacked at once, then the other regions would surround us with their forces and annihilate us," the Overseer pointed out. Shirako gave a scathing laugh.

"You talk as if you believe these humans are strong enough to defeat us," the albino sneered. The Overseer sighed. Shirako was nothing if not confident.

"We went over this, Shirako. We cannot underestimate the humans in the Church Precinct. If we are surrounded, then our escape would be cut off in the off chance we are overwhelmed," he snapped. The Overseer's hide still smarted from where the humans had blasted him with concentrated fire. If the same sort of thing happened with the humans in the Church Precinct, he wasn't sure he'd come out in one piece.

"I refuse to accept that these humans can handle us at our full strength. We don't even need the army, I alone would be able to crush this entire country!" Shirako shot back, his crimson eyes narrowing. The Overseer bared his teeth and gave a frustrated growl.

"Shirako! That's enough," Mateus intervened at last before the Overseer could argue back. Shirako shot a glare at the Emperor, but obediently fell silent. "Silvarion, what are your thoughts on this?"

_"I propose a more spread out strategy. I suggest that if the Church Precinct is the largest threat, then you and I, my lord, should travel there with a large host of dark knights to engage them," _Silvarion began. The Emperor gazed at Silvarion with interest, as did the Overseer. Silvarion was telling the Emperor to crush the Church himself? "_Then we should spread out the remaining generals to conquer individual regions."_

"The strategy has its merits, if you are not opposed to fighting yourself, my lord," the Overseer added tactfully, choosing his words carefully. The Emperor appeared to be considering this course of action, and as such he did not respond.

"I suppose it would be the most sensible course of action. This…Archbishop, appears to have a level of strength that only I can best," Mateus at last decided. Shirako bristled at that last statement.

"I find that insulting. Last I checked, you and I were at the same level of strength," Shirako snapped. "I'm done taking such absurd orders. I'm going to go and take care of this myself." The Emperor gazed coolly at the albino. The Overseer could tell that the Emperor was swiftly growing impatient with his headstrong general.

Suddenly, an incredible amount of magical power filled the room. It descended upon the generals like a hammer blow. The Overseer, despite his significant strength, fell to his knees under the pressure. Sweat cascaded down his brow and dripped to the floor. The pressure only grew worse until the beast fell to the ground, unable to move. It was hard to breathe, and as such the beast began wheezing.

A similar effect was happening to the other generals. Silvarion had slipped down the tower so far, that the dragon had taken off and distanced himself from the magical power. Tsumire was on the ground in a fetal position, making small whimpering sounds. Even Shirako was on his knees, shock and disbelief evident in his crimson eyes.

Throughout all of this, the Emperor's dark eyes stared coldly down at the albino, a disdainful frown on his pale face. There was no mercy in those eyes as he continued to exert magic power. Shirako fell to the ground on all fours, his chest heaving as he panted heavily.

"I…yield…" The albino finally gave in when he realized that his magical power was nowhere near the Emperor's level. Mateus adopted a small smile and allowed the magic in the air to dissipate. The Overseer gasped out his relief as he was finally able to breathe and move freely again.

Tsumire leapt up from the ground and adjusted her hair, trying to make it look like she hadn't just been cowering on the floor. Silvarion soon returned once he had sensed that it was safe to return to the tower.

"That time we fought," Shirako suddenly said, his eyes wide. "You were holding back, weren't you?"

"Your assumption is correct. I was using approximately a quarter of my full strength," the Emperor revealed. Shirako's eyes widened further, and then he averted his gaze, his expression cowed. "I would have used more, but found that the ceremony had given me power beyond my expectations."

"My lord, I recall you using a transformation during your first stay in Hell, and then later during the fight with Firion," the Overseer suddenly recalled. If what he was thinking was correct, then he couldn't even begin to comprehend just how much strength the Emperor had now. "Am I correct in assuming that your transformation has an even greater level of power than what you just demonstrated?"

The Emperor gave a small nod, shocking all of the generals into silence. Their lord had grown to a level that none of them could even imagine. Every one of them now viewed him in a new light. He truly was the one and only individual in the cosmos that was fit to rule.

"I apologize for my rude behavior, my lord," Shirako addressed the Emperor, taking a respectful knee. The Overseer was now seeing Shirako humbled so for the first time in an eternity. The beast couldn't even imagine the severity of the blow to the albino's pride.

"That aside, we shall move forward with Silvarion's strategy," the Emperor decided after giving an acknowledging nod to Shirako's apology. "However, I shall delay the execution for a short time. I wish to complete the Five Generals once more before we depart. Now, I will take my leave. You are all dismissed for now."

The Emperor faded out of view, no doubt heading into the depths of Hell to create another demon to replace Shuryo. The generals looked at one another, and then headed in separate directions. Shirako wore a blank expression on his usually confident face, and when Tsumire went over to comfort him, he did not push her away like usual. The Overseer watched the two sink through the ground, no doubt heading to Shirako's chamber.

The Overseer descended the crystal staircase, heading for his own chamber. When the Emperor returned, he would no doubt be thrown into an even harder battle than the last.

* * *

When she returned to consciousness, the first thing she felt was pain. A dull pain pounded in her skull, causing her to groan and hold a hand to her head. Her forehead felt warm, making her believe that she might have a fever.

The next thing she realized was that she could hear so many different sounds at once. She could hear excited cheering and whistling, almost as if she was sitting at a sports game. That was odd to her, because she despised sports and everything about them. Why would she be at such a place?

The girl opened her eyes, and then quickly shut them, because the light was hurting her eyes. It was a dim light, however, leading her to believe that she had been asleep a long time. When her eyes finally adjusted, she began to look around.

People wearing odd colorful clothing surrounded her. They were all sitting on benches made of a strange brownish metal and were cheering loudly. Some people were standing, while others were sitting. She could smell something that made her mouth water, though it didn't smell like anything she'd ever tasted.

She looked at the skyline to see that she was in a strange city the likes of which she'd never seen before. It was more technologically advanced than she remembered. She could see thin metal vehicles streaking through the city on long, undulating roads. The buildings were tall and oddly shaped, being mostly circular with many odd angles that combined to form majestic structures, covered in lights. It was like something she would expect to see in a science fiction movie, but here she was seeing it with her own eyes.

The girl, brushing her raven locks out of her eyes, next turned her attention to the area she was lying in. She was in a massive stadium filled with people, but unlike a football or soccer field like she was expecting to see, she saw an even stranger sight.

There was a giant sphere of water just hanging in midair a few meters above the floor of the stadium. There were several bands of light wrapping around the sphere as well, colored orange or violet, and labeled with strange characters that she didn't recognize. What was even weirder were the twelve people streaking around inside of the sphere.

They seemed to be tossing an odd blue and white ball around to one another. If her intuition was right and this was a sport, then the objective seemed to be to get the ball to the opposing team's goal, which consisted of a hoop guarded by a single player.

"Hey, you're awake!" a voice interrupted her observation. The girl nearly jumped out of her skin, not expecting anyone to talk to her. She gave a little squeak and looked up at the owner of the voice.

It was a young man, probably in his late teens or early twenties. He possessed a youthful face with hazel eyes and a round chin. He wore a boyish grin, one that made the girl feel even more insecure. Lastly, his hair was short and blonde, extending past his ears and stopping just above his shoulders.

"Don't just lie there, come sit! You're missing the game!" he said to her in a friendly manner. He extended a hand to help the girl up, but she only eyed it distrustfully and stood up on her own. The blonde didn't seem to be perturbed by that, instead just scooting over on the bench to allow her a place to sit.

"So, I'm Tidus. Can you tell me your name?" he introduced himself, that same grin still on his face. The girl turned a light shade of red.

"Cl…Claire. I'm Claire," she replied shyly, hiding behind her hair. Almost immediately afterwards, everything came back to her in flash. Claire saw the deaths of everyone she'd ever known flash through her mind. She saw the emotionless face of the man that had ordered her friends killed. She remembered the sigil, and how she had changed there. She began to cry, tears rolling down her cheeks. Tidus noticed the swift change in her demeanor instantly.

"Hey hey now, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" the blonde asked anxiously, confused. Claire's tears soon turned to sobs. She couldn't bring herself to say anything to Tidus. She didn't even know who he was, or how she got here. All she could remember was the end of her life. Almost instinctively, when Tidus shifted to face her fully, she moved towards him, seeking comfort. "Hey, come here."

Claire pressed herself up against his firm chest, feeling his strong arms wrap around her. She was just a lonely schoolgirl who hated the world, all of the death she had witnessed was too much for her to handle. She didn't even know this guy, but she felt slightly better in his embrace. She felt safe.

Tidus remained silent, holding her to him as she cried. After a few minutes, Claire's tears slowly came to a halt. She sniffed, and looked up at Tidus. The blonde met her gaze with his hazel eyes, wearing an understanding expression. "I…I…I'm s…sorry…I…" Claire stammered. This was quite unlike her. Whenever she was sad back in school, she always drowned her sorrow in anime and video games. She didn't need other people, and yet she practically threw herself at the first guy she saw after waking up. She felt useless.

"Don't be. Whatever's on your mind, it's clearly got you down," Tidus replied calmly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Claire thought about that. Should she talk to him about it? It was already too late to run, seeing as she's taking comfort in his arms, but then again, a sports stadium wasn't really the ideal place to talk. "Yeah, but…not here."

"That makes sense. Tell you what. After the game, we can go back to my place. Tell me all about it then, all right?" Tidus responded, and then his grin came back. Unlike before, when it made her feel insecure, now it made her feel a little better. Claire nodded. Then she realized Tidus was still hugging her.

"Um…you can let go now," Claire pointed out. Tidus immediately let go, his cheeks turning a little red.

"Oh, right, sorry, heh," he said nervously, scratching the back of his head. After a few moments of silence, Tidus suddenly let out a whoop of triumph, as did the majority of the people in the audience.

"Take a look at that!" Tidus yelled excitedly, thrusting his finger towards one of the people in the sphere. Claire peered closely, and then noticed an extremely muscular man swimming past another person, who was clearly in pain, holding his chest. The first man was holding the ball and was streaking towards the opposite goal. Claire thought the man looked very familiar, but she couldn't exactly remember why. He was too far away for her to see him clearly enough.

"What happened?" she asked curiously.

"My old man just blocked a break by the Hunters' left forward, and then rammed him in the chest to steal the ball! What a play!" Tidus explained. Claire blinked, not understanding a single word out of that. She considered asking Tidus for more information, but the blonde was now on the edge of his seat, watching the muscular man, who was apparently his father, streak towards the goal.

As she watched, two members of the opposing team swam to block the man, their hands clenched into fists, ready to physically restrain him if need be. The man then kicked the ball forward. It smashed into the chest of the first opposing player, knocking him clear out of the sphere of water, and then rebounded back towards the man. Next, he punched the ball towards the second player, knocking him out of the sphere too. Finally, as the ball streaked back towards the man, he began to spin rapidly in the water, rising higher until he at last used all of that built up momentum to smash the ball with his dominant foot.

The ball whizzed through the goal hoop so fast, that the goalie didn't even know what happened. There was a gong, and then practically everyone in the stadium stood up and screamed their approval of the impressive shot.

"AAAND THAT'S GAME!" Tidus roared, pumping his fist in the air. Claire watched the man in the sphere strike an egotistical pose and swim down towards the bottom of the sphere. Before Claire could fully understand what was going on, she felt Tidus grab her hand and jerk her to her feet. Suddenly, they were running through the crowds of people. "Come on, you've gotta meet my old man!"

Claire struggled at first, but then decided it would be better off going with the flow. She had no idea how she'd ended up in some futuristic sports arena after being murdered in some bloody ritual. If this was the afterlife, she wasn't sure how much she liked it.

Tidus led her down a series of stairs and then through several hallways before finally reaching what looked like a locker room door. Through the grille Claire could see lockers, as well as the players from the sphere. When Tidus reached the door, he released her hand and knocked on the door loudly. "Hey, Dad! Come on out, there's someone I want you to meet!"

"What? Hold on, I'm coming. Brat," replied a deep voice. Claire gasped and took a step back. She knew that voice. But, it couldn't be. How could he be here?

The door swung open, and Claire screamed. She immediately recognized that red headband, and that rugged face.

The one who walked out of the locker room was Jecht.

* * *

When the Emperor at last called for them, several hours had passed. When all of the generals had gathered on the top floor once more, Mateus made his appearance.

Walking purposefully beside the Emperor was a tall man, garbed in ragged black pants and a tight-fitting sleeveless shirt that was similarly colored. On his wrists were tied white bandages that wrapped up his arms. His physical features were easily recognizable to the Overseer. The man was identical to Shuryo in every way, from the tanned complexion and yellow eyes to the chiseled face and sharp nose. His expression was completely devoid of any kind of emotion. His eyes were empty and unblinking. The Overseer couldn't see any kind of weapons on the man, which he found odd.

"Gentlemen, there is someone I would like you all to meet," Mateus said, breaking the silence. The Overseer ceased gazing at the Shuryo clone and respectfully watched the Emperor. "This is X-51, my most recent creation. He will be the fifth general from now on."

"I will serve," X-51 stated. Although identical to Shuryo's, his voice was empty and devoid of inflection. It was unsettling, to say the least. The Overseer wondered how strong this demon was in comparison to Shuryo.

"Ew, he looks creepy," Tsumire remarked boldly, leaning closer to X-51 to try and get a closer look. "It's like Shuryo, only…not."

X-51 did not move an inch in response to her increased proximity, nor did he turn to look at her. His cold eyes stared forward, looking at everything and nothing at the same time. Tsumire shuddered and retreated, unnerved.

"_Then the Five Generals are complete. Now, shall we prepare for the invasion?" _Silvarion asked, flaring out his wings. The movement caused a wave of wind to pass through the area.

"Ah, yes. I suppose I should give you all your assignments now," Mateus responded, gazing down at Tsumire's holographic map. "Shirako. I want you to head to Icemount and crush them. Take as many dark knights as you need."

"Yes, my lord," Shirako replied smartly, and then disappeared from the room. The Overseer watched him go. He didn't think he'd ever get used to Shirako acting so respectful.

"Tsumire, I want you to take a significant amount of dark knights and subjugate Rysal. I expect a swift victory from you," the Emperor commanded, turning his gaze to the youthful general, who gave a curtsy and a confident smile.

"With me, there's no other kind," she replied sweetly, and then she sank through the floor, as she was so fond of doing. That only left X-51 and the Overseer who had yet to be given orders.

"X-51, you are to crush Midland. Go, my newest creation," the Emperor ordered. X-51 gave a terse nod and then knelt down.

"It shall be done." X-51 disappeared in a flash, leaving only the Overseer and Silvarion in the room with the Emperor.

"That leaves me with the remaining region," the Overseer mused, gazing down at the region he was to be conquering. Kulcry appeared to be in the rain shadow of a large mountain causing the region to be mostly desert, which suited the beast just fine. He adored the heat, being a demon from Hell after all.

The Emperor nodded in confirmation. The Overseer bowed his head and then turned the other direction, towards the edge of the platform. Planting his foot, the beast propelled himself off of the building at an incredible speed, quickly breaking the sound barrier. The Overseer soared through the air before landing on the ground far below with a crash, leaving a sizable crater where he landed. Then, he dashed towards his chosen region at an incredible speed.

The Emperor watched the beast fade away into the distance with a satisfied smile. Everything seemed to be going well for him. At this rate, provided the Church did not give him any real trouble, Mercadia would be his within the week. Then he could move on to the other countries, until the entire world was in his grasp.

"One last thing before we leave, Silvarion," the Emperor said, pausing midstride. "Make sure the other generals know to utilize the specialized dark knights as well. I wish to see how they adapt, you see."

The dragon's massive head nodded, and then there was a moment of silence, as Silvarion no doubt relayed his orders telepathically to the other generals. The Emperor nodded in satisfaction, and then he approached the dragon. Mateus had never ridden upon Silvarion before, as his own flight abilities usually sufficed. It was an offer that was unheard of from Silvarion before Mateus' fusion, as the dragon viewed the concept of being mounted demeaning. The fact that he was offering now told the Emperor that his previous show of strength had caused his generals to change the way they viewed him. Perhaps they now viewed him as the true Lord of Hell, rather than a simple human usurping the position.

Emperor Mateus rose to a level high enough for him to glide onto Silvarion's back. This was the first time he'd ever ridden any living creature, so this was a new experience for him. He allowed himself to settle on the dragon's back, and soon found he rather disliked the feel of the dragon's scales.

"We must first gather our forces before we fly. I would like to deal with the Archbishop alone with hindrance," Mateus ordered. Silvarion nodded and took to the air, the resulting gust of wind blowing the Emperor's hair back.

His conquest had officially begun.

* * *

Lyrin woke slowly, wincing at the pain he still felt over his body. He opened his eyes to find himself staring at a white ceiling, with gentle fluorescent lights shedding their light into the room.

He tried to move, and found that he could. He sat up, finding himself to be in a soft bed, with an IV attached to his arm. He looked around the room. It seemed to be a hospital, as the room was filled with other beds and medical equipment. Each of the beds was filled. Lyrin gave a start when he recognized everyone in the room.

In the bed opposite him, Ferlis was lying unconscious, his chest rising slowly as he breathed. Lyrin sighed. While he was grateful that the man was still alive, it was just another reminder of his failure.

In the beds next to Ferlis, West and Rolf could be found, both injured heavily. Lyrin could see blood-soaked bandages piled up on the other side of the room in a basin of water.

He recognized this room, which made him start. He didn't know how he'd ended up here, in Krystmar's medical center. Palamecia and Krystmar were on opposite sides of the country.

The last thing he remembered was the Archbishop himself showing up and saving him from certain death by the hands of the Emperor. Lyrin cursed to himself and slammed his fist into the side of the bed in frustration. After all of his carefully thought out strategies, the Emperor still won. He even went to the trouble of setting up a massive three way assault with what should have been superior numbers, but the Emperor and his generals was just too strong for humans to handle. Even Martin, his father, had fallen, and not even by the hands of the Emperor.

Shirako. The very name caused Lyrin's blood to boil. It was that cursed demon that had caused him to question his faith in Krysan, the supposed lord of all things that watched over his creations with love and benevolence. Lyrin scoffed. It was clear to him that was a pack of lies. No loving god would stand by and allow his people to be slaughtered like animals by demonic creatures. Krysan may exist, but if he did, then Lyrin wanted nothing to do with him.

Lyrin realized with a start that someone was missing. Martin he knew to be dead, but there were only three of the remaining four commandoes. Where was Captain Raul?

Before he could ponder this, the entrance to the medical center hissed open to reveal a doctor that Lyrin knew well. It was Krystmar's head doctor, Dr. Craig Ultan. Lyrin remembered the doctor as a somewhat goofy man, but a skilled one. His presence here explained why Lyrin was alive and fully functional.

"Ah, I see you're awake, Mr. Emerius," Craig noted with an uncharacteristic edge in his voice. Lyrin was taken aback by his tone, as well as the man's use of his surname. "Good. If you can move, the Archbishop wants to see you."

"Craig," Lyrin began, but Craig cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"I will thank you to call me Dr. Ultan," the doctor snapped. Lyrin realized what it was that had made the man so hostile towards him. It was because the man was extremely faithful. Lyrin supposed that his abandonment of doctrine must have seemed like a betrayal to the older man. This saddened Lyrin, but he didn't regret his choices. "I told you the Archbishop is waiting for you. Get going."

Lyrin nodded, and tried to move. It came easier to him than he expected given the severity of his injuries, and as such he was soon standing on his feet. Craig refused to look back at him, so Lyrin left the room wearing a stony expression.

It didn't get any better out in the wide hallways, which were called streets due to the fact that Krystmar was not a typical city, and was instead one massive cathedral. The people walking in the streets ignored him, despite the fact that Lyrin knew nearly all of them, some of them even being previous friends. They all refused to look at him, or averted their eyes when Lyrin sought to meet their gaze. It didn't seem like he was very well liked here anymore. Lyrin couldn't recall a time he'd ever felt more alone.

The Archbishop's quarters were located at the back of the cathedral city, behind the areas where the priests held services every morning and night. They used to be located at the top of the cathedral, but when the new bells were installed, they prevented the man from getting any sleep, so they were moved to their current location. Lyrin knew where they were, having been to them more than a few times during his stay here.

He wasn't sure how the Archbishop would react to him, given his departure from the Church in favor of studying warfare. Lyrin remembered Vicard as being a kind man, so he found it hard to imagine him being cold to anyone. Lyrin didn't think he could bear it if even the Archbishop hated him now, as that would leave him without any real friends.

"Come in," Archbishop Vicard answered when Lyrin gave his heavy oak door a knock. The Magistrate opened the door tentatively, and entered. The Archbishop's quarters were as clean and empty as he remembered. Vicard was not the kind of man to accumulate possessions, and as such his front room consisted of nothing more than an ornate desk, with filing cabinets on either side of it. Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with well-kept tomes that the Archbishop regularly studied.

Vicard himself was sitting at his desk, the Book of Krysan open in front of him and a stack of paper next to him, with a pen lying atop it. Lyrin smiled when he met the Archbishop's gaze. Instead of averting his eyes like Lyrin half-expected, Vicard returned his smile and stood up from his desk, coming over to greet the Magistrate.

Lyrin accepted Vicard's hand, and shook it warmly, happy that at least the Archbishop seemed to be friendly towards him. "Good to see you again, your holiness."

"Same to you, young Lyrin. I was worried I would never see you again," Vicard replied, sounding almost like an anxious parent. A pang shot through Lyrin's heart when he remembered that both of his parents were gone now. Vicard was all he had left, and he wasn't even real family.

"Thank you for coming to save me." Lyrin made sure to thank the man generously. "Though I have to ask, couldn't you have defeated the Emperor there? You seemed strong enough."

"Unfortunately, I could not," Vicard answered, his aging face adopting a crestfallen expression. Lyrin couldn't believe his ears. The last thing he remembered seeing was Vicard slamming the Emperor with magical power far stronger than even Martin's final form, and the Archbishop was saying even that wasn't enough? How much power did the Emperor have? "That is what I wish to speak to you about."

"I'm listening, your Holiness," Lyrin responded politely, bowing his head slightly in respect.

"The appearance of this 'Emperor' figure is most troubling. I could sense his power the moment he entered this realm, though at the time I did not realize just how deep his ambition ran," Vicard related. "Because I did not confront him immediately, hundreds of children lost their lives in his attempt to gain power, which ultimately succeeded. Now, I cannot contend with him."

"Wait, hold on. You're saying that even you're not a match for him?!" Lyrin was so shocked by what he'd just heard that he dropped all pretense of formality. He began to panic. Vicard was the strongest human on the face of the planet, and the Emperor was even stronger? When Vicard nodded, Lyrin gasped. "That means that no matter what we do, we can't stop him!"

"Unfortunately, that is indeed the brutal truth. Our war is doomed to failure, young Lyrin. Even if every country on the planet were to unite to stop him, we could not win." Vicard seemed to shrink in stature as he admitted this. Lyrin couldn't believe what he was hearing. If that was true, then what was the point of it all? He lost his father in a fight he can't win. "However, I will not give up. If and when the Emperor attacks us directly, I will meet him. I will neither run nor hide. When I perish, I can stand at our lord's side without regret."

"Screw that!" Lyrin snapped. "There has to be something we can do. I will not just lie down and die!"

"You do not understand. There is nothing we righteous folk can do without straying from the path," Vicard corrected him. Lyrin was despairing. Even after everything, the Emperor was going to win. He couldn't stand the thought of someone like that who would even kill children ruling over their country. Even worse…Shirako. If anything, Lyrin was going to murder Shirako before dying to the Emperor, even if it cost him everything. He, as a man, swore to himself he would kill that demon. Suddenly, Lyrin realized Vicard had said something strange.

"Wait. Does that mean there's something we can do if we stray from the righteous path?" Lyrin asked. Vicard looked horrified at the question, but Lyrin was past caring. If it took a little evil to save the country, he would gladly embrace it.

Before Vicard could answer, there was a knock at the door. Even as Lyrin went to open it, the knock repeated, indicating that whoever was behind the door was in a hurry.

Lyrin opened the door to reveal a man dressed in messenger attire, holding a disk in his hand. "Urgent message from the head of Intelligence, your Holiness. You need to see this immediately!" the messenger declared, holding out the disk. Lyrin looked at Vicard, who nodded. The Magistrate took the disk and retreated, the messenger departing once his message was delivered.

"This can't be good," Lyrin remarked, passing the disk to the Archbishop. Vicard took the disk and handled it gently, moving it over to his desk. Opening a drawer, the man produced a laptop, which he opened. Vicard inserted the disk, and then motioned for Lyrin to come join him.

Lyrin did so, circling around the desk, wondering what was so important that the messenger felt that interrupting this important meeting was necessary. It took a moment for the laptop's media player to open, but when it did, the first thing displayed on the screen was what looked to be the morning news. The usual reporter, Sarah Brant, was standing on a sidewalk in a smaller city that Lyrin recognized as being only a few hundred miles from Krystmar.

Perplexed, Lyrin watched Vicard press the play button, and then watched the screen closely. Sarah immediately began discussing the recent state of affairs.

"Unfortunately, there has been no news since the man who calls himself the Emperor assumed control of the country after murdering our esteemed Magistrate, Torvan the III. As we speak, local resistances are forming in each of the different regions, preparing to meet the Emperor's advance," Sarah related. Archbishop Vicard raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't aware that Mrs. Brant was a military reporter," Vicard said, bemused.

"That's because she's not," Lyrin retorted, and then went back to watching the video.

"Currently, according to local resistance leaders from Kulcry, the true leader is not the Emperor, but instead we should be following Commander General Lyrin, who under wartime laws, is now acting-Magistrate until another can be voted in by the populace. Lyrin Emerius, once a member of the Church of Krysan, proved himself during the last skirmish with Perosia, impressing our dear Torvan so much that he became the youngest Commander General in history," Sarah continued. "However, the question people are asking is: is acting-Magistrate Lyrin truly ready to lead the country?"

Before Lyrin could comment about that, he noticed a black speck in the air emerge from behind a skyscraper in the background. It quickly drew closer, until Lyrin recognized what it was in horror. Apparently, the other viewers in the video who had been present at Sarah's broadcast noticed it as well, and began shouting and running. Sarah quickly adopted a confused expression, and turned around to see Emperor Mateus himself riding upon the same dragon that had demolished the Winged Brigade.

Mateus drew so close to the camera, that Lyrin could make out that condescending smirk that he always wore. Seconds later, Silvarion opened his mouth and spewed a wave of dark energy from his mouth, completely annihilating everything on the screen before the recording cut to static.

"We're out of time, it seems," Vicard observed. Lyrin's eyes were wide. The city in which Sarah had been reporting from was very close to Krystmar. That didn't seem to make any sense. Palamecia was incredibly far from the Church Precinct. How did he traverse such a huge distance so swiftly? Was it just the Emperor and Silvarion, or did they come with a host of dark knights as well? Lyrin had so many questions, and none of them had answers.

"Damn it! At that rate, we have maybe an hour or so before they get here!" Lyrin yelled, and then cursed loudly, despite the fact he was in the Archbishop's presence. But right now, formality really didn't matter to him, especially not when death was lurking just around the corner. Lyrin then remembered what they were talking about just before the messenger showed up. "Your Holiness! If there is some way we can stop him, please tell me! At this point, I don't care about the cost!"

"That is a dangerous mentality to have, young Lyrin. You may have left the Church, but you have still abided by its teachings, despite that. If you persist in this, you will lose your way," Vicard warned him. Lyrin cursed again and then glared at the Archbishop venomously.

"I don't fucking care! We don't have time! I won't just sit around waiting to die! If you know something, tell me!" Lyrin roared at the older man. Vicard remained silent, disappointment evident in his gaze. Finally, the Archbishop released a heavy sigh.

"Very well. I shall tell you, but you must assume responsibility for any actions to take upon hearing this," Vicard said. When Lyrin nodded, the old man continued. "Do you remember the old tales I use to tell you when you were younger?"

"I remember them all. Which ones are you referring to?" Lyrin replied, wondering where the Archbishop was going with this.

"Then you must remember when I told you about the dark lord, the one who ruled our world several millennia ago, before the time of recorded history." Lyrin's eyes widened.

"The…you mean the one who grew so strong, that Krysan, lord of the heavens and Asmodeus, Lord of Hell, joined forces to defeat?" Lyrin asked in shock. Vicard nodded seriously. "You told me that even then, the gods couldn't defeat him permanently, and had to seal him away in the Interdimensional Rift. Is there something about this tale that can help us defeat the Emperor?"

"Perhaps. I did not wish to tell you because the outcome could be even worse than the Emperor," Vicard admitted. Lyrin didn't care about the outcome. He just wanted to see the Emperor and his wretched generals perish in great pain. "What I'm meaning to say is that this tale was true."

"Seriously?" Lyrin uttered. He couldn't even imagine such a thing happening. He didn't even believe in Krysan anymore, but supposedly the god had joined forces with his mortal enemy to defeat this dark lord.

"I am not finished. The dark lord's power was so great, that even while sealed, his power caused distortions in the fabric of space time, such that the membrane between this world and the Rift is very thin in the area in which he is sealed," Vicard continued.

"Where is he sealed?" Lyrin asked curiously. He was beginning to understand what the Archbishop was hinting at. If this dark lord could be found, perhaps his immense power could be used to defeat the Emperor and his generals.

"Underneath this cathedral," Vicard said simply. Lyrin's jaw dropped, his eyes widening. All this time, there was a dark lord of incredible power sleeping underneath this holy place? "This place was originally built by the gods' followers, so that their descendents could stand guard over the dark lord's resting place."

"Perfect," Lyrin said with a devious grin. A plan was forming in his mind. "If I had a distraction, then I could find this dark lord and release him. If he is stronger than the gods, the Emperor will be nothing to him."

"Lyrin. Think about what you're trying to do. If you release the dark lord Terraform, he will no doubt plunge the world into an era of darkness far worse than anything the Emperor could muster," Vicard admonished the Magistrate sternly, his expression more serious than ever. "You must think. While it is ultimately your choice, you must decide whether or not the risk is worth the potential gain."

"Whatever risk there may be, it is better than dying. I will have revenge upon the Emperor for everything he and his men have taken from me," Lyrin growled. Vicard sighed, realizing that he wasn't going to be able to dissuade his former student.

"Very well, Lyrin. The consequences of your decision are ultimately on your head," the Archbishop finally said, relenting. "We may all perish on account of this heresy, but the decision was yours to make."

"I still need a distraction of some sort, or the Emperor will just find and stop me before I can release this Terraform," Lyrin reminded Vicard. "What an odd name. Terraforming is the process we use to change the earth to suit our needs…actually that's rather suiting for this dark lord."

"I realize this, Lyrin. I will gather the templars and hold our last stand, to buy you as much time as you need." Vicard said. "I will hold the Emperor off myself."

"Thank you, your Holiness. Can you tell me exactly where Terraform is sealed?" Lyrin asked one last time.

"Yes, but the path to him is treacherous, as the very land near him has been corrupted by his power. I shall assign several templars to help you reach his resting place," Vicard replied. Lyrin nodded appreciatively

"Come with me. We have much to do," Vicard ordered, and then he and Lyrin left the room.

* * *

Everything was beginning to fall into place for the final battle that would ultimately determine the fate of the entire country. The Emperor and Silvarion at last reached Krystmar, at the head of a massive army of dark knights. Unlike the usual dark knights, there seemed to be different versions of them present in army.

There was a type of dark knight that looked very similar to the normal kind, only they were larger, bulkier, and their armor was covered in spikes. They wielded large battleaxes in place of one-handed swords. To the Emperor, these were his shock troopers. They could take a lot more damage than the typical knight, and could deal a lot more damage, at the expense of speed. Thus, many dark knights usually accompanied them, in order to protect them.

There was another kind that was taller and thinner than their brethren, and wielded spears and shields. They were the fastest of the infantry, and usually could be found on the front line.

Lastly, the Emperor brought cavalry with him. Unlike the humans, who would imagine the cavalry riding horses, these consisted of specialized dark knights riding demonic hounds and wielding wicked swords and bows.

On the other side of the field, an army of humans was assembling. They all wore technologically advanced body armor that resembled those of the medieval knights, with breastplates that bore the Krysan Sun. Wielding broadswords and bows, the Templars prepared for the Emperor's advance.

Like the Emperor's dark knights, there were different kinds of Templars, though all could fight equally well. Some specialized in using barriers to protect the front lines from harm, while others were long ranged attackers, standing on the roof of the cathedral and preparing to rain bolts of light magic down on the dark knights. Some, like Lyrin, were front line attackers that used light to form weapons or armor. All in all, they were far more capable than the human soldiers, having been put through the most intense of training.

* * *

On the Emperor's side of the field, Mateus stood beside Silvarion, a smirk on his face. He surveyed the giant cathedral that was Krystmar. It certainly was an impressive structure, but it was nothing compared to Pandemonium. Yes, when this battle was over, he would burn this place to the ground with the fires of Hell.

However, the Emperor could sense that the hundreds of humans arrayed in front of his armies possessed an extraordinary amount of magical power. According to Tsumire, humans with this power were referred to as templars. His forces would need leadership if he wanted them to win, which was why he decided to bring Silvarion.

On the other hand, the Emperor knew that if even if his forces were defeated, he could simply take care of them himself, but he was unwilling to do so if there were other means available to him. Emperor Mateus, although incredibly powerful, preferred to manipulate others do the fighting for him, as he enjoyed watching long, drawn out conflict. However, in this case, the Archbishop was too strong for any of his generals to defeat, except for maybe Shirako in his final form. As such, he was Mateus' responsibility.

"Silvarion," the Emperor spoke up, gaining the attention of his massive general. Silvarion's head lowered until his emerald eyes could see him. "I want you to join in the fight with the dark knights. I expect that the templars will be too much for them alone."

"_That is a wise command, my lord. Unlike in Palamecia, we do not have an unlimited amount of troops, and as such I must ensure that our losses are not too heavy," _Silvarion mentally replied.

"My thoughts precisely. Now, I must prepare to face the Archbishop. Depending on how strong he is, I may have to transform," Mateus proceeded to say next. Silvarion's emerald eyes widened.

"_Is this Archbishop truly strong enough to fight you in your base form?" _Silvarion asked incredulously.

"I am unsure. He did not seem strong at first glance, but upon receiving his attack I sensed a deeper well of magical power that he had yet to draw upon. Whether or not what I sensed was his maximum potential remains uncertain," Mateus answered. "Nevertheless, even if I must transform, the Archbishop's death is certain."

Silvarion nodded, and then took to the air, mentally relaying orders to the dark knights below him. The Emperor watched for a moment, and then faded away, heading for the Archbishop.

* * *

Just inside the cathedral city was a massive welcoming hall, where one would usually find long dining tables meant for diplomatic meetings with large groups of people. However, in preparation for the battle, the tables, carpets, and tapestries that usually decorated the room had been removed, leaving the room entirely bare.

The room was empty save for Archbishop Vicard, who stood stalwart in the direct center of the hall, wearing his usual white robes and holding his staff. In his other hand was an odd crystal orb, within which ribbons of light could be seen intertwining and rotating into infinite combinations of patterns. His eyes were closed as he reflected upon everything that had led to this moment. Even if he were to die here, Vicard would die content. He never was satisfied with the idea of dying of old age. Dying in battle to protect his people against a tyrannical despot was truly a noble end, and as such he was content. His eyes shot open.

"Let them come."

* * *

So, many different things happened in this chapter. First off, the Emperor just turned Shirako into his bitch! Kinda like Aizen and Grimmjow. He finally got tired of the albino questioning everything he said, so he owned him.

And then…Claire! In Zanarkand, meeting Tidus and Jecht while watching a blitzball game! So, yeah, I'm guessing many of you are just like…uh…what the hell? Wasn't she dead?

Yes and no. Without giving any spoilers, I'll just say that after fusing, her consciousness had to go somewhere, as technically her body still exists, only it has taken the Emperor's shape. You are also probably wondering, if you've played FFX or Dissidia (which you probably have otherwise you wouldn't be reading) why Tidus doesn't hate Jecht at this point. I meant to do that. There is a very good reason for that.

Next, Terraform! My greatest original villain. I foreshadowed his appearance in the first chapter, if any of you remember. I've used Terraform in several of my stories, but they all ended in failure. I decided that I WILL use this character in a story and have it work, so here he is. If any of you thought that him coming up was a little too sudden, know that I've been planning this since the beginning, hence the summary. Anyhow, moving on to shoutouts.

karthik9: Thank you for reading, and double thank you for reviewing!

Justyoumi: Yeah, the Emperor shows up a lot. I hope you enjoyed his moment of badassery in this chapter. Shirako…sit! Yeah, and poor Shuryo. Speaking of Bleach, I actually was listening to Torn Apart from Bleach's Original Soundtrack 2 during that scene. Made it so much sadder. Lastly, Tsumire. You guessed it. She is an immature, attention-seeking, and extremely girly demon who tends to go on shopping side trips whenever she's given a mission. She will fight at some point, though she prefers to be an informant because she hates getting blood on her clothes.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	10. Krystmar Under Seige

Here's another chapter! I am on a roll with this story! Now, to proceed with the battle, and the quest to find Terraform's seal!

Also, I have some songs to recommend if you like reading with music.

Terraform's Tomb: Lunatic Pandora (FF8)

Silvarion vs. Templars: United We Stand, Divided We Fall (Two Steps From Hell)

Emperor Mateus vs. Vicard: Makarov vs. Hades (Fairy Tail OST 4)

Emperor Mateus (Power of Hellfire) vs. Vicard: Emperor Mateus Battle Theme

* * *

Beneath the foundation of Krystmar, there lies a series of catacombs. These catacombs are where the cathedral city's denizens lay their dead to rest. However, the denizens also fear it. Although no one can give a concrete reason as to why, people describe the place as being unnerving, as if someone or something was watching them at all times.

Lyrin had never understood this, having never been down there himself, but now that he was standing in them, he understood their worries all too well. The former templar shuddered, uneasy for a reason he couldn't describe.

Standing around him were six other templars, assigned to him by the Archbishop. None of them were particularly happy to be there, as they were told the reason for this excursion. However, they had complied because they could see the reasoning behind Lyrin's arguments. Terraform was the only chance they had to save the country from the Emperor. If, in the worst-case scenario, Terraform destroyed the Emperor and unleashed darkness upon the country, it would be preferable to leaving it in the Emperor's rule.

The room in which they were standing was but one of the hundreds of burial chambers that could be found in the catacombs. Everything was made out of old grey stone, which only grew more ragged and worn the further they went. Shelves lined the walls, upon which were stored urns. In these urns, the ashes of loved ones rested. Some of them were hundreds of years old, as each one was labeled and dated.

Even worse, some relatives had chosen to have their loved ones mummified and laid to rest in marble alcoves, leaving them open to the air. Thus, the air was filled with the fetid odor of long rotted flesh.

"How much further do we have to go?" a female templar asked irritably. Lyrin recognized the speaker as Angelina, a younger member of the templars that hadn't been around when Lyrin had been a member.

"Supposedly the tomb entrance is around here, according to the map," Guntar, another templar, answered before Lyrin could. Guntar was the one holding the map, giving directions to Lyrin, who would lead them.

"Everything is a tomb around here. Where are we supposed to look?" another templar spoke up; this one's name was Porter.

"Look for anything that seems out of the ordinary," Lyrin interrupted them, his authoritative voice earning their attention. "Odd symbols, discolored walls, etcetera. Spread out, but don't wander too far."

"This place creeps me out," Rachel, another female templar, whispered. Rachel was the timid one of the group, being easily frightened by the smallest things. Back when they had first entered, Rachel has screamed loudly, putting them all on guard, only to find out a spider had scuttled past her. Lyrin had then questioned why she was in the templars in the first place if something as small as a spider could scare her.

Lyrin ignored her and went to study the far wall. Angelina and Porter teamed up and searched another wall, although they hesitated to move the urns. Rachel dithered a bit, but after receiving a withering glare from the oldest templar in the group besides Lyrin, Yates, she began searching the floor.

"Look for something that looks like an image of the sun and moon merged together," Guntar alerted them. Lyrin nodded, as that made his job much easier now that he knew what to look for.

"Is that it?" Porter could be heard whispering. All eyes turned to him expectantly. "Wait, no false alarm. It's just a burial coin."

"Porter, you're useless," Angelina scoffed, and then all of a sudden Lyrin could smell her perfume nearby, and then the templar joined him at his wall. He glanced at her curiously, meeting her gaze. She gave him a smile, and then turned to the other side of the wall. "I'll search over here, Magistrate."

"I'm never going to get used to calling him 'Magistrate'" Yates remarked, as he was one of the only ones that Lyrin recognized out of the ten of them. Lyrin chuckled darkly. Yates always did know how to make light of the worst situations.

Another templar, named Terag, groaned and drew his sword, drawing some attention to him. He stuck it in a crack in the stone tiling and rested his weight on it, looking miserable.

"This is useless. There's nothing down here but bodies," Terag complained. Nobody really paid him much attention, as he was widely viewed as not very bright, and a bit of a whiner.

"Keep searching," Lyrin ordered. Terag groaned again, not moving. Lyrin was about to snap at him when all of a sudden, Terag's sword sunk at least a foot into the floor. Before anyone could ponder the ramifications of this oddity, the floor collapsed with a dull roar, sending Terag down into darkness.

"Terag!" Lyrin shouted, rushing over to the oddly uniform square hole in the ground where the templar had fallen. There was no reply at first apart from coughing from the templar in question. The other templars congregated around the hole, some of them shaking their heads, while others sighed.

"What, and you thought I was useless?" Porter teased Angelina, who huffed and gave him a glare.

"Are you all right down there?" Rachel timidly called down after Terag. There was a flash of light, and suddenly Terag could be seen at the bottom of the hole with an orb of light in his palm.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just fell into some fucking hole. God forbid people maintain this…" Terag began, but then suddenly cut off.

"What is it?" Lyrin asked anxiously. Terag looked back up at them, looking rather surprised.

"So, Guntar, you said it should look like an image of the sun and moon together, right?" Terag asked. Lyrin's eyes widened.

"Yeah, I did. Why?" Guntar called down after Terag.

"You all might want to come down here," was all Terag said in response. Lyrin sighed, and then ordered everyone down into the hole.

After descending into the dark hole and illuminating it with more orbs of light, the templars gathered around Terag to see what he had discovered.

Terag pointed simply at the wall when everyone was down there with him. It was too dark to see, so Lyrin lifted an orb of light to illuminate it. When he saw it, he was visibly awed.

The first thing Lyrin noted was that the stone here was much older than the stone that made up the floor above. Then, emblazoned on the wall was a massive symbol that matched Guntar's description perfectly, except for one detail. Each of the lines that made up the image were not lines, but instead grooves. In each of these grooves a strange, glowing crimson liquid ran in a steady current through them, giving the whole image an eerie look.

"Holy light protect me, I know what that is," Yates whispered in horror. "That is a blood seal, detailed in chapter one hundred and fifty three of the Book of Krysan."

"I remember that. It's of the most heretical magics one can cast. It's very presence here is…blasphemous!" Porter spoke up next.

"Said to be used only by Asmodeus, the Lord of Hell, to lock away those who oppose him," Angelina added.

"Hm. This must be Terraform's seal then. Be on your guard. We don't know what we'll find when we open this thing," Lyrin commanded.

"Can we even open it? The Lord of Hell probably cast this himself!" Yates asked incredulously. Lyrin scoffed. Hell itself may exist, but he doubted that Asmodeus would have cast this seal himself. He still didn't completely buy the story that Krysan and Asmodeus teamed up. A far more likely scenario was that several gifted magicians teamed up and cast a powerful blood magic spell, thus sealing this Terraform away.

"I know to open it. As you know, Asmodeus is a master of blood magic. According to the Archbishop, the only thing that can undo blood magic…is blood magic," Lyrin informed them all, eliciting looks and gasps of shock from all of them.

"We're still screwed then. None of us know blood magic, nor are we intending to learn," Terag pointed out. Lyrin said nothing. He knew some blood magic, ever since Rianna's death, he had been preparing for the day when he would use a terrible blood magic ritual to summon Shirako back to the world, and then kill him.

Lyrin drew his sword, whose blade reflected the light from their light orbs. While the other templars watched, he ran a finger across the sharp edge, cutting the skin and drawing blood. Almost immediately, the symbol on the wall glowed brighter, as if reacting to the presence of more blood.

Lyrin thrust his palms out, the blood running down his finger and onto his palm. When he summoned his magical power, a crimson circle adorned with strange runes formed in front of his palms. The circle sucked up all of the blood shed from Lyrin's self-inflicted injury. The ground suddenly shook, and the symbol on the wall glowed even brighter. However, it was not enough.

"I need more blood," Lyrin grunted to the templars. No one responded. They seemed to be frozen in shock, both at the glowing symbol and at the fact that a former templar was using heretical blood magic. After another moment, Lyrin growled. "I need more blood dammit! Somebody give me some!"

Angelina hesitantly steps forward, running a dagger along the palm of her hand. Her actions earned more shock from the other templars.

"Has everyone gone mad?!" Terag yelled, but no one paid any attention. When Angelina moved her hand towards the crimson circle, blood was sucked from her skin to it, causing the circle to grow in size. The shaking of the ground grew more intense, as did the glow. Wind began to gust backwards from the symbol, coming from seemingly nowhere.

"Just a little more," Lyrin groaned, the strain of the blood magic beginning to take its toll on him. Angelina then cut the back of her hand, offering even more blood to the circle. It doubled in size, becoming the exact size of the symbol on the wall. "That did it!"

With a roar, Lyrin pushed the crimson circle forward, so that it collided with the blood seal. There was a sound like thunder, and then the glow became so bright that it became hard to see anything. The crimson circle then retracted, taking the entirety of the wall with it, including the symbol.

When everything stabilized, the wall was completely gone, as was the blood seal. Behind it, Lyrin saw a large ragged tunnel that descended into the depths of a cave. He could sense incredible, evil magic power emanating from within. Lyrin released a breath he hadn't even known he was holding.

"This is it. We've found Terraform's tomb," Yates whispered.

* * *

The battle began at Silvarion's signal. The dragon roared, shooting his breath into the air. The dark knights immediately surged forward, the very earth seeming to quake with their footsteps. The thinner, lance-wielding knights were ahead of the rest, their strides propelling them farther than the normal knights.

The cavalry broke off from the main force, grouping together and veering towards the right of the templars, no doubt intending to crush them with a lethal flanking assault.

Silvarion coordinated the knights with his mind, effectively making him and the knights a sort of hive mind, as Silvarion could observe and send orders extremely fast, which the dark knights would then obey without question. Silvarion fully expected that he would be able to outmaneuver the templar forces.

As Silvarion soared overhead, he looked down at the templars, expecting to see them in a defensive formation. He certainly did not expect to see them yelling battle cries, charging forward to meet the dark knights in one colossal charge, their blades held high.

Silvarion felt something hit his hide painfully. He looked around him and noticed that there were templars standing on the roof of the cathedral, firing arrows made of light from similarly constructed bows, aimed directly at him. Silvarion first attempted to weather the attacks like he usually did, only to find that they hurt a lot more than bullets and missiles. Silvarion rolled in the air to avoid a barrage of arrows and sent a powerful breath attack down at the templars, only for it to be blocked by a barrier made of light. Silvarion growled in frustration. They weren't particularly strong, but they were cunning.

The two armies met on the field just outside of Krystmar in a crash of steel and magic. The faster lance knights exchanged blows with the templars' front line, only to find they were evenly matched. The templars used their swords and magic to deadly effect, carving through their opponents with ease. Some templars formed different weapons with light, such as spears or axes.

Light arrows rained down on the enemy forces, inflicting heavy casualties. Silvarion realized that he would need to do something to halt the templars' momentum, as they were likely going to win at this rate. He growled, and then did something he hadn't done in a long time.

Silvarion landed with a crash at the templar's flank, roaring out his challenge to them. He lunged forward with his claws, eviscerating any templars unlucky enough to be near him. The dragon cut his way into the middle of the templar forces, thrashing about with claws, teeth, and tail, fighting like he had never fought before. The templars took heavy losses at first before they began getting smart. Now used to his movements, the templars dodged his attacks and retaliated with blasts of light magic and swords. While the latter didn't pierce his skin, the former burnt his scales and caused real damage to the dragon.

Silvarion called in the cavalry to hit the templars' other flank in a powerful pincer attack that would no doubt give his troops the advantage. The demonic hound-riding demons gave a shrill cry and thundered across the plain towards the templars, firing black arrows from twisted bows.

Despite their immense momentum, the cavalry was surprised to see something in their way. Dressed in pure white armor and standing stalwart in front of the vulnerable flank was a single templar. It was female, and did not wear a helmet like the other templars. Instead, her night colored hair was allowed to fall down her back, reaching all the way down to her waist. In place of the usual broadsword, in her hand was an elegant katana. The expression on her rounded face was determined, her lips set in a frown.

"I am Dawn, the last Seraphim General of the Church of Krysan," the woman introduced herself, even as the cavalry charged at her. Silvarion wondered whom she was talking to, but then he noticed her staring right at him, as if she knew he could hear her. Seraphim General? Then Silvarion remembered hearing the same term applied to both the Magistrate and the one who had fought with Shirako. Silvarion realized too late that such a person was too strong for his cavalry to handle.

"Sunrise Slash!" Dawn shouted, and then she sliced her katana forward horizontally, even though the cavalry had yet to reach her. As a result, several arcs of blue light shot out of her blade and collided with the cavalry, slaughtering hundreds of them. Then, she sprinted into their midst while they were still confused and began cutting them down one by one with attacks too fast for the average demon to see.

Silvarion realized that he would have to deal with her, but he was in a sticky situation himself. He was surrounded by templars, and his strategy had fallen apart with the appearance of Dawn. He couldn't get a definitive hit on the templars, only killing a few after several minutes of fighting. Their barriers were nearly impenetratable, which he found out when his breath attack was blocked every time. Enough was enough. This wasn't working, so it was time for a different style of combat.

Silvarion took to the air, blasting more breath down at the templars to keep them from firing arrows back up at him. The dragon distanced himself from the battle, ordering the demons to buy him some time. He could no doubt break their barriers if he had enough time to use a fully powered breath attack, which he had once used for destroying entire cities with a single blast. He reached a nearby mountain and coiled himself around it. The dragon opened his mouth and began to charge up his attack.

Dawn finished annihilating the cavalry and moved to the front lines, joining the templars there. With the addition of a Seraphim General to their ranks, morale soared, and the templars surged forward, cutting down any knight in their path. The heavier, stronger knights were more difficult to deal with, but the templars minimized losses by breaking off into teams to deal with each one encountered. At his rate, the battle would be won for the templars.

Silvarion finished charging up at last. In his jaws was a large orb of magical power that was colored both black and white, the two colors intertwining with one another in endless patterns. The dragon raised his head, and then released his attack. The orb shot forth and lengthened into a gigantic beam of magical power, streaking through the air at an incredible speed. Silvarion swept his head from side to side, so that the beam became a giant arc of deadly power that encompassed the entirety of the templars' forces.

Dawn sensed the magical power coming and immediately alerted the army, who turned and faced the incoming attack. They brought up their barriers, preparing to take the attack head on. Silvarion watched, tensing up. If this didn't work, he would have to take drastic measures to ensure victory.

When the arc of magic struck their barriers, there was an incredible explosion that shook the earth. The templars holding the front line barriers strained heavily, struggling to hold the barrier up despite the overwhelming amount of power that pounded on the other side. The other templars that weren't holding barriers instead donated their magical power to the ones that were, in order to strengthen the barrier.

However, the templars soon found their barriers cracking, and their front line being pushed back under the unrelenting force. At long last, the barriers shattered and the magical force surged through the templar lines, incinerating the front lines instantly and heavily injuring those just behind it.

When the explosion dissipated, there was not much left of the templar forces. Silvarion seized the moment to direct his knights to charge front the front, while he would distract Dawn. This was the final assault. The outcome of this attack would determine the battle's victor.

* * *

Archbishop Vicard sensed his presence the moment he arrived, even before the Emperor had allowed himself to be seen. Vicard sighed heavily, resigning himself to the death that surely awaited him.

He did not move as Emperor Mateus materialized a few meters away from him, levitating a foot above the ground. His staff hovered in midair just in front of him, rotating slowly and crackling with magical power.

The Emperor regarded Vicard, saying nothing at first, instead choosing to take in the features of his opponent. Vicard met the Emperor's gaze, also choosing to remain silent. He did not back down, nor did he show any kind of fear. If this was death personified, he was ready for it.

"Well met, Archbishop. I do believe you made a fool of me the last time we met," Mateus finally broke the silence, his dark eyes narrowing. Although the Emperor's words appeared to be respectful, Vicard could sense unbridled anger beneath that cold exterior.

"I suppose I did. In the end, you have only yourself to blame. I offered you a perfectly reasonable course of action, in exchange for allowing my student and I a little longer to live," Vicard responded calmly. "Declining it only proved you are a ruthless, sadistic leader. You are unfit to rule this country. No human will follow you."

"You certainly have a lot to say, considering your situation," Mateus commented. The Emperor appeared none too happy about Vicard's words. "The solution is simple. If they do not follow, they will die."

"Don't you think they will find death preferable to surrender?" Vicard returned. The reason he was talking to the Emperor instead of fighting him was to buy more time for Lyrin. Vicard only hoped that Lyrin would be able to reach Terraform in time.

"Those are the fools, unworthy of the life I allow them. I understand that there are many who would rejoice under my rule, though you and your church are not among that number," the Emperor snapped. "Now, enough talk. I did not come to bandy words with a corpse."

An aura of light formed around Vicard's form, streaming into the air. The Archbishop could summon his full strength quickly, which had come to him after many decades of practice and worship. He did not expect to win. This was all to buy Lyrin time. "If a fight is what you wish, I shall provide. I suggest you not underestimate me."

The Emperor flared out his robes and shot out his hand, his staff flying to it. With the tip of the staff, Mateus drew a glowing cyan rune in midair, from which multiple blasts of magical power shot forth. "You shall suffer, Archbishop!" Mateus declared, watching the blasts head for the older man.

Vicard saw the blasts coming, and swiped his staff to the right, while at the same time throwing the crystal orb in his left hand into the air, where it hovered. A barrier formed, blocking the blasts easily. The moment the barrier dissipated, the Emperor was directly in front of him with a crimson blade made of magical power in his right hand. Vicard moved his body to the right, avoiding the blade, and then grabbed Mateus' wrist with his left hand. The Emperor grunted and brought his other fist forward, aiming for Vicard's face. The Archbishop blocked that with his staff, and then executed a swift kick to the Emperor's middle, driving him back.

Mateus swerved in midair and formed several particle beams in front of him before sending them hurtling through the air, curving around Vicard's form in an attempt to hit him in an area he wouldn't think to guard. Just in case he did dodge it, the Emperor summoned a storm of lightning bolts above the Archbishop's head. These bolts slammed down on the ground in a completely unpredictable pattern, a tactic Mateus had adapted from Kefka.

Vicard fluidly dodged everything sent his way, surprising the Emperor visibly. It was like he could see every bolt of lightning before it landed, while still keeping track of the particle beams soaring towards him.

"You are not using your full power. I suggest you do so if you wish to win," Vicard admonished the Emperor.

"You are perceptive. That display was nothing more than a test. You are far stronger than I gave you credit for," Mateus responded. It seemed that he would have to use his full power after all. "Very well, Archbishop."

With that, the entire cathedral began to shake. A black and violet aura of magical power erupted from the ground at Mateus' feet, breaking the tiling and smashing through the ceiling, completely vaporizing anything in its way. The pillar of magical power created an area of high air pressure around it, such that the air began flowing outwards in an attempt to regain equilibrium. The resulting wind was enough to blow Vicard's robes back. The Archbishop was now worried, as he could sense the entirety of the Emperor's power. It was extremely powerful, being slightly stronger than the Archbishop's final form, which he had yet to reveal. If he transformed now, he might stand a chance of victory, albeit a very small chance.

The Emperor smirked, and the pillar of light dissipated, indicating that he had reached his full power. At the same time, both Mateus and Vicard took to the air, soaring towards one another. Their staves clashed in midair, creating an explosion from the colliding magical energy.

* * *

Lyrin walked into the tunnel, using the light orb in his palm to light the way forward. His skin was forming goose bumps from the presence of the evil magic in the air. It must be Terraform's radiant magic resulting from his presence, or it was something else. He hoped it was the former. There was a possibility that the gods, if they had indeed been the ones who sealed up Terraform, would have set up some form of defenses to prevent humans from doing exactly what he was trying to do. If so, he would need to be on his guard.

Behind him, Angelina and Porter followed. The former's hand was bandaged heavily, from when she had donated blood to Lyrin's heretical magic. The other templars were quieter than usual after witnessing their former Seraphim General commit heresy of the highest kind. They knew that even coming into these ruins was heresy, and as such in each templar were conflicting feelings. They remained silent, attempting to sort these feelings out.

The tunnel was suddenly lit up by a bright orange light, emanating from two flaming torches on either side of the wall that had seemingly ignited on their own. As they walked, more torches lit up, eliminating the need for the light orbs. Lyrin wasn't sure why the torches would light up, especially if this chamber was never intended to be breached.

Something crunched under Lyrin's boot. The former templar looked down to see that he had stepped on a human femur, crushing it. To his shock, there were skeletons littering the path, many of them charred beyond recognition. Rachel looked down as well and screamed loudly, causing the other templars to glare at her.

The skeletons were still wearing old, degraded armor and held rusted blades, indicating that there had been a massive battle at some point in the past. If the childhood story was to be believed, the final battle between Krysan and Asmodeus' followers and Terraform's shades occurred here. So much evil magic and death had occurred here that the formerly natural cave became tainted, forever to remain an evil, dark place.

"I feel like I'm reliving the old story," Porter remarked, shuddering. The other templars were looking around uneasily at all of the bodies.

"Funny. As a little girl, I dreamed of being in this battle, fighting for our lord," Angelina admitted. Then she laughed nervously. "Only now I'm actually scared."

After a while, the tunnel opened out into an immense cavern with a high ceiling. It was pitch dark inside for a few seconds before fires sprung to life of their own volition within large metal braziers that were situated at regular intervals throughout the cavern.

Lyrin took in the features of the cavern before him. There were several crumbling buildings scattered throughout the cavern, hinting that this had at one point been one of Terraform's cities. Over time, the buildings had degraded and collapsed, leaving the once proud city as nothing more than ruins.

There were multiple lakes of water threading through the cavern as well. Perhaps it was an effect of the firelight, but the water looked reddish to him. How much of an obstacle these lakes would pose depending on the depth of the water, and whether or not there were still useable bridges still around.

Lyrin led the templars through the streets of the ruined city, until they reached the first lake. The body of water spanned the width of the cavern, so that the templars would have to traverse it if they wanted to continue on.

Lyrin stepped forward, gazing at the water uneasily. It had not been a trick of the light. The waters were indeed an odd shade of red. Because of the coloring of the water, Lyrin couldn't tell how deep it was. It could be bottomless for all he knew.

"We can cross at this bridge here," Yates pointed out, indicating an old stone bridge that traversed the eerie lake.

"I really don't like this place," Rachel whimpered, hugging herself nervously.

"For once, I agree. This place feels like a death trap," Angelina agreed with the timid girl. Rachel inched closer to the stronger woman, feeling safe behind her.

"All right, enough waiting around. I'll cross first and make sure its safe," Terag spoke up in a rare display of bravery. The templar walked up to the bridge confidently, his sword held at his side.

"Terag!" Lyrin called after him. Terag turned his head and gazed at Lyrin expectantly. "Be careful."

Terag took a few steps across the bridge, and then had the brilliant idea to kneel down and test the integrity of the bridge ahead of him by rapping the flat of his blade on the stone. If it withstood his templar strength, it would no doubt be able to hold his weight.

"Wow, he's actually doing something rather clever," Angelina remarked, in an attempt to lighten the atmosphere. It worked somewhat, earning a chuckle from Yates and Porter.

"It seems to be safe…" Terag murmured, continuing his slow movement across the bridge. Soon, he was at the center of the bridge. He tapped the stone in front of him with his sword again, and then took a step.

The stone cracked and shattered under his foot, unbalancing the templar. Terag yelled out his surprise, and he fell into the reddish water with a splash. Lyrin took a step forward, ready to dive into the water to save him if need be.

"Terag! Are you all right?" Porter cried, taking a step forward. Terag broke the surface, shaking his head and spluttering.

"What the hell? I mean I tested the damn thing!" Terag complained, treading water. He adopted a pensive expression, and then he stopped treading water, revealing that the water was shallow enough for him to stand, although it rose up to his upper chest. "Ugh, the bottom feels all lumpy and weird."

"Terag, get out of the water now. I have a bad feeling," Lyrin told the templar urgently, giving the water a wary glance. Terag nodded and began swimming to the other side.

"So I guess we're swimming to the other side?" Angelina asked, sighing. Rachel eyed the water uncomfortably.

"Ugh, I don't want to get water in my armor…it feels gross," she complained. "Guntar, could you carry me across?"

"Yeah, how about no?" Guntar retorted, causing Rachel to stick her tongue out at him.

Suddenly, Terag gave a horrible, twisted cry, the kind that Lyrin knew should never come out of a human's mouth. All swords were drawn in an instant as the templars stepped towards the water's edge. They all looked just in time to see Terag disappearing beneath the surface. The reddish water turned nearly opaque in that area, giving Lyrin a horrible inkling of what the coloration actually came from.

"Terag!" Lyrin shouted. He waited for the templar to come above water once more, but there was no sign of him. The disturbed water soon returned to the glassy, calm surface that it had once been, save for a few bubbles.

"What the fuck just happened?!" Yates demanded, sticking his sword in the water. The other templars gazed at the water in shock.

"Something is in the water," Porter conjectured, shuddering in fright. Almost as if on cue, something broke the surface of the lake. Lyrin looked to see a round object floating on the surface. Upon taking a closer look, he was shocked and horrified to see that it was a mangled skull, with bits of flesh still attached. He was right to fear that water. Terag was dead, and he didn't even know why.

"Oh lord!" Rachel screamed upon seeing the skull. The other templars were similarly shocked and repulsed. Lyrin cursed. They weren't even close to Terraform's resting place yet, and they'd already suffered their first casualty.

"We will hold a memorial service for him later. For now, we need to determine how we will cross the lake," Lyrin decided. "The bridge is destroyed."

"Well, I have an idea, but it's going to be insane," Yates said after a moment of deliberating. Lyrin glanced at him expectantly. As the more experienced templar of the group, he believed that Yates' idea should be a viable one. "You can still use those whips, right?"

Lyrin nodded, allowing a whip of light to extend from his hand. It was one of his primary weapons, so he had made sure to stay in practice.

"If we climb one of the more intact buildings, we could try using one as a zip line," Yates suggested. Lyrin blinked and looked at the whip. He'd never thought of using one like that. He wasn't even sure it was possible.

"Worth a shot. Let's do it," Lyrin ordered. He scanned around for a suitable building, and when he found one, he quickly scaled it. The old building, due to its state of advancing decay, had plenty of handholds for someone skilled enough to utilize them.

Once at the top, Lyrin spotted a lower building on the other side of the water. That was perfect. It was only slightly lower in elevation than this building, and as such there would be no danger of any of them getting their toes in the water. He didn't know if whatever was in the water would be perceptive and fast enough to kill them if only their toes were in the water, but it was better to be safe.

Lyrin grunted, and hurled out the whip. The line of light shot out like a rocket and embedded itself into the target building. As the light was technically still a part of him, Lyrin manipulated it so that the end was coiled around a stable support column on the other end.

"Come on. I'll hold this end," Lyrin commanded. Porter was the first up the building. The templar ripped off a bit of his shirt and wrapped it around the light whip.

"Here goes," Porter declared, and then he hopped off of the roof, trusting his life to Lyrin's strength. Lyrin grunted, feeling the templar's weight pulling down on his whip, but he managed to hold on by anchoring it to the extensive store of light magic held within his body.

Porter visibly sighed in relief when he reached the other side, scrambling atop the roof. The templar regained his balance, and then sighed. "All right, head on over!" Porter called.

Angelina was the next one across the line, bravely jumping off the roof without hesitation, soon joining Porter on the other side. Yates and Guntar were next, followed by Rachel. Lyrin was now alone.

Lyrin also tore off a piece of his shirt. He released the end of the whip that he was holding and anchored it by wrapping it around an outcropping of rubble. After testing it to make sure it was safe, Lyrin jumped, hurtling through the air at a break neck pace. Lyrin came uncomfortably close to the water, but thankfully his calculations were correct. He joined the other templars on the roof. Thankfully, everything had gone well.

"I guess we should move forward then," Porter said, hopping off of the roof to the streets below. The templar hit the ground, bending his knees upon his landing. Lyrin noticed his departure and ran towards the edge to see Porter walking into a nearby alley. "I'm going to scout ahead."

"Porter!" Lyrin shouted. Porter stopped and turned around, confused by the urgency in the Magistrate's voice. "Get back here! It's not safe!"

"What do you mean? Isn't it just the water that's the primary danger?" Porter asked. Almost immediately after the templar had finished speaking, Lyrin heard an eerie sound, almost like someone was exhaling. The sound grew louder, and Porter looked down the right alleyway to try and determine its source. Porter's expression immediately turned to one of horror seconds before an unseen force ripped the templar off of his feet and dragged him into the alley, out of sight.

"No!" Lyrin yelled, jumping off of the roof. He sprinted into the alley after Porter, turning down the alley where the templar had disappeared. He caught sight of Porter flying away from him, drawn backwards by something Lyrin couldn't see. Using light magic to boost his speed, Lyrin streaked through the alley. Porter collided with the wall of a large building that marked the end of the alley, and began to phase through it, his legs and torso disappearing into the stone. Porter saw him coming and reached out his hand, which Lyrin grabbed, temporarily halting Porter's progress backwards. The usually composed templar was hyperventilating. His eyes were bloodshot and sweat was pouring off of his brow.

"Don't let me go!" Porter screamed desperately. Lyrin suddenly felt a force stronger than anything he'd ever felt tug Porter backwards. The former templar placed his foot on the wall and tried to use it as leverage to counteract the unseen force, but Lyrin was not strong enough. Porter slowly began to sink further into the wall.

Suddenly, as Lyrin began to use magic in an attempt to power himself up, he heard the strange exhaling sound again, and then an incredible force slammed into his middle. Lyrin refused to let go, but the force was too strong. Porter's hand snapped off at the wrist, earning a howl of pain from the templar. Lyrin felt the air rushing past him as the force shot him backwards.

"I've got you!" Angelina said, catching Lyrin and halting his momentum. The other templars had followed Lyrin in an attempt to save Porter.

Porter gave one last cry before phasing completely through the wall, vanishing from sight. Guntar was at the wall a second later. The templar let out a yell of frustration and pounded his fists on the wall.

"Get out of the way!" Yates roared at him. Guntar looked over his shoulder to see the older templar with his sword drawn, light magic streaming off of the blade. Guntar yelped and leapt aside. Yates sprinted forward and sliced a square opening in the wall, revealing the building's interior.

Lyrin stood back up, running to Yates' side. He peered inside the building, looking for any sign of Porter. It was too dark to see, so Lyrin stepped through the opening and formed an orb of light.

Lyrin knew something was horribly wrong the second he felt his boot hit liquid. Expanding the orb, Lyrin threw it to the ceiling so that all could see the room.

Nearly every surface in the room was covered with fresh blood. The viscous liquid dripped from the ceiling and streamed down inclines. Lyrin felt the bile rising in his throat. He was no stranger to blood, but seeing so much of it in one place was too much.

Rachel, who had stepped in behind him, immediately vomited onto the ground nearby, unable to handle the sight before her. Guntar walked inside and gasped.

"Look," Yates said solemnly, bending down and picking up something on the floor. The older templar held up a piece of templar armor that was still covered in the blood of its previous owner.

"Son of a bitch!" Lyrin cursed violently, kicking the wall viciously, smashing a hole through it. That was another templar dead, for another reason as mysterious as the first. What was killing them? Was it Terraform? Or was there something else in these ruins, hunting them down one by one?

* * *

The welcoming hall of Krystmar was now horribly disfigured by cracks and craters, resulting from the battle of the two god-like beings in the center of the hall.

Currently, Vicard was on the defensive. The Archbishop could not get close to the Emperor, held at bay by his powerful magic.

Mateus laughed as he watched Vicard frantically dodging each of the lightning bolts he sent from his palm. Circling the Emperor at a high speed were multiple tornadoes, preventing Vicard from getting close and blocking any magic that collided with them. Their suction tore debris from the walls, floor and ceiling, ruining the hall even more than it already was.

Vicard watched the tornadoes warily. He needed some way to get rid of them, or none of his magic would work at all. He soon had an idea, remembering one of the spells he had created a long time ago. Vicard halted in place, blocking a bolt of lightning with a light barrier. He placed his palms together, and then interweaved his back three fingers on each hand with one another. His eyes flashed green, and then a large green circle appeared at his feet, filled with text from the Book of Krysan.

"Krysta Circle, Formation Zero: Nullify!" Vicard shouted. The circle at his feet began to glow, sending rays of green light shooting into the air.

"Your tricks are useless!" Mateus snapped, thrusting out his palm. A massive lightning bolt emerged from the ceiling above Vicard and shot downwards at an incredible speed, but to his shock it dissipated upon meeting the magic power being released from the green circle.

Another, larger green circle appeared underneath the Emperor, expanding to encompass him and all of his tornadoes. Mateus had a split second to deliberate before a pillar of greenish light erupted from the circle on the ground. The tornadoes were swallowed by the light and destroyed, despite their magic blocking ability. The Emperor acted quickly, bringing up a spherical yellow barrier as the light reached him. To his shock, however, the barrier was dissolved by the light, which then slammed into him. The massive pillar of light bore a hole through the top of the hall and soared into the sky, evaporating the clouds.

Mateus appeared right next to Vicard, seemingly unharmed and swept his bladed staff in front of him. Vicard, who was still in the stance for the Krysta Circle, could not completely dodge it. The blades cut through his robes and into his skin, staining the white material with blood. Vicard grunted and held a hand to the wound, quickly cauterizing it with superheated magic. He didn't have enough time to counterattack before the Emperor continued his assault, manipulating the staff in midair with his hand.

Vicard brought up his own staff to block. Every time their staves met, the floor ruptured and wind resulted, blowing their robes backwards. Vicard felt his arm growing numb from the superior strength behind the Emperor's attacks. He couldn't keep this up for long.

Vicard needed to transform, but he was sure that the Emperor would realize what he was trying to do and stop him. He needed a way to distract the Emperor. Krysta Circle could do it, but he needed to get some space.

Emperor Mateus sneered when his staff was blocked yet again. His index finger shot out, and a particle beam fired, slamming directly into Vicard and sending the older man into the wall. The resulting explosion blew a hole in the wall and decimated the rooms behind it.

The smoke cleared, revealing a hurt Vicard. He was getting desperate. The Emperor would easily win at this rate. However, now the archbishop had the space he needed. Again, Vicard assumed the stance for Krysta Circle.

"Krysta Circle," Vicard began. The Emperor's eyes widened, and he immediately attempted to prevent the archbishop from casting the powerful spell once more. A pure white glow emanated from Mateus's hand, indicating that he was about to use a powerful spell.

Before Mateus could cast his spell, a blast of light magic slammed into his back, staggering him. The floating orb that Vicard had left in midair had been the source of the blast.

"Formation One: Imprison!" Vicard finished. Once more, the green circle appeared beneath his feet and glowed brightly. The Emperor suddenly found smaller green circles forming around him, which then fired blasts of green magic from nearly every direction. They all collided with Mateus and solidified, forming a prison of solid emerald around him.

When the green circle disappeared, Vicard immediately began to transform. The archbishop had never used this form after achieving it, as the cost for using it was too high. Vicard knew that if he used it now, he would never be able to use it again. It was a one time boost; one that he had been saving for a crisis such as this.

It hurt. Vicard felt pain throughout his body. It felt like every single nerve in his body was on fire. He screamed in pain as his body shifted and changed. His white hair turned grey, and then the darkest black. The wrinkles that he had accumulated over the years tightened and smoothed out. His eyes grew brighter and more alive. Muscles bulged on his body where none had been present before. He grew in size as well, becoming particularly tall for a human.

Vicard now looked as he had at the height of his youth, and all of the power he had possessed then came flowing back to him. However, the changes were not finished. Gone were the white robes that he had previously worn, replaced by tight fitting golden armor. A blazing red sun was engraved on the breastplate, superimposed upon the image of a much larger eagle. His staff was gone, now replaced by two golden blades that were attached to his gauntlets.

The Emperor easily broke out of the prison seconds later. He looked down to see the newly transformed Vicard with a hint of surprise in his expression. "I see you were hiding your full strength. It seems this will more entertaining than I first believed," Mateus remarked. Vicard responded by flaring his golden aura and lunging at the Emperor, slashing his blades viciously.

At first, the Emperor was placed on the defensive. Vicard's strikes were coming at him so fast, that all he could do at first was use barriers to deflect them. Vicard pushed his advantage, ducking under a counterattack from Mateus's staff and kicking the Emperor viciously in the middle. When the Emperor staggered from the hit, Vicard released a serious of swift thrusts in an attempt to impale him through the middle.

The Emperor pushed Vicard back by summoning several orbs of white magic, which rammed into the archbishop's body repeatedly and exploded, engulfing him.

Vicard zoomed out of the explosion and stabbed forward at the Emperor's head. Mateus moved his head away from the blade, only for the archbishop to grab his face and throw him through the wall, which crumbled beneath the force behind the attack. Vicard raised his palms and hurled multiple orbs of light after the Emperor.

Mateus corrected himself as he flew and gently came to a halt, floating a few feet above the ground. When he saw the magic streaking towards him, he slowly, almost leisurely lifted his hand and formed a crimson barrier, which absorbed all of the orbs and converted them to Mateus' magic.

Suddenly, the Emperor noticed that he was unable to move. Looking down, there was a golden circle around his feet, filled with more sacred text. Even more golden circles began to form in midair parallel to the first, until the Emperor was in the middle of a series of parallel circles that glowed with a deadly light.

Vicard stood on the top of the pile of rubble created from the fallen wall, his palms facing the Emperor, glowing brightly. "Divine Circle: Sacred Tower!" the archbishop roared, clenching his hands into fists.

The Emperor let out a pained cry as the circles closed in on his body, constricting him for a moment before exploding violently. A half sphere of light formed and grew larger, spreading outwards. Everything the wave touched it destroyed, until even the combatants outside could see the blast utterly destroy the front of the cathedral city.

Rubble fell from above as the area around them collapsed, allowing sunlight to stream in through the now destroyed ceiling. Vicard watched closely as the explosion dissipated, knowing that the Emperor was too powerful for even that to kill him.

Vicard suddenly heard the sound of clapping. When the Emperor finally came into view again, he was reclining leisurely in midair, clapping. He was now finally showing signs of injury. A small stream of blood ran down his lips, and multiple scrapes and burns could be seen over his body. His robes were now mostly shredded, as well.

"Allow me to commend you, archbishop. Not one of you humans has been capable of pushing me this far since my rebirth," Mateus complimented, ceasing his clapping to wipe the stream of blood from his lips. The Emperor shed his ruined robes, revealing a suit made of black leather armor underneath. "I don't suppose you would be willing to join me? I can guarantee that you will be well rewarded."

"Not a chance," Vicard snapped. The Emperor didn't seem displeased despite the quick refusal.

"I didn't think you would. You and your templars are nothing if not dedicated," he responded. Then, the Emperor took notice of the heated battle taking place not far from them.

Vicard saw Dawn, his last remaining Seraphim General, fighting desperately with a massive dragon, which was likely the same one that had ferried the Emperor here. Dawn was strong and loyal, but she was quickly becoming overwhelmed by the dragon's relentless attacks. The templar army itself was nearly defeated, consisting of only a hundred or so men left. Vicard was saddened upon seeing this, as well as the large amount of templar bodies littering the field. Unless there was a miracle, this would be the end of their resistance.

"How do you feel, archbishop, knowing that your loyal men are dying in droves? Do you despair?" Emperor Mateus asked coolly, his dark eyes narrowing. Vicard let out a hiss of anger. However, he was not angry for himself. He was angry for all of the templars that had given their lives this day. No, he was angry for every man, woman, and child killed by the Emperor and his men. It was because of them that Vicard swore not to give in. If he was going to die, he was going to die fighting.

"Now, I believe it is time for me to end this," the Emperor declared. This confused Vicard. They were around the same level of strength, even if the Emperor was slightly stronger. Was there some other card he had yet to play? Something that could overpower him in an instant? Vicard adopted a defensive stance.

"Do you know who I am, archbishop?" Mateus inquired curiously. Vicard raised an eyebrow.

"You are the one who calls himself the Emperor," the archbishop answered, perplexed.

"I do not believe I have ever introduced myself to any of you," Mateus pointed out. "Perhaps I should do so. I am Mateus, Emperor of Palamecia and Lord of Hell."

"Asmodeus is the Lord of Hell, Mateus," Vicard corrected him sharply. The Book of Krysan was perfectly clear. Krysan ruled the heavens, while Asmodeus ruled the depths. The Emperor was nothing but a usurper. Mateus's response was to laugh derisively.

"He was indeed," the Emperor replied. Vicard's eyes widened at Mateus' use of the past tense. Suddenly the ground ruptured, and lava seeped up from the cracks. The crack widened, and soon the Emperor was hovering over an abyss that led straight down to the depths of Hell. A surge of Hellfire shot up from the abyss and encompassed the Emperor, who suddenly began to change. His pale skin turned darker, becoming a dark gray. His body became bulkier, and his visage contorted into something monstrous. His brow grew firmer, his eyes turned dark yellow without pupils, and his crown twisted and split into several dragon-shaped tendrils. His mouth grew larger, and his teeth grew longer and sharper, becoming exterior features rather than interior. "Until I killed him."

Vicard wasn't sure what he was seeing. The Emperor had become something demonic, something that he would expect to see in nightmares. Did the Emperor gain more power from this transformation?

"There is only one fit to rule, and I am he!" Emperor Mateus snarled, his voice now guttural and harsh. "Taste the power of Hellfire!"

Mateus' demonic claw shot out to the right, and a wave of flame erupted from the ground instantaneously, seemingly covering the whole horizon with its blazing heat. Even Dawn and Silvarion, who were in the middle of combat, were thrown backwards from the explosion, as were the rest of the fighting forces.

Vicard was engulfed in the wave, and truly felt like he was experiencing true hell. His armor burnt and cracked and his skin charred. He heard someone screaming. It took him a second to realize that it was his own voice.

When the wave dissipated, Vicard was on all fours, panting heavily. There was a large furrow left in the ground where the wave had traversed. The archbishop's mind raced. The Emperor had somehow gained even more power than before, and it was nothing compared to what he had shown earlier in the fight. Vicard could tell just from that explosion that he was completely and totally overmatched.

"Hurry…Lyrin…" Vicard groaned, rising to his feet and readying his blades. "I can't keep him here much longer."

Vicard took a few steps forward towards the monstrous demon that was now Mateus. It didn't matter how much it hurt. He would never stop fighting. Vicard launched himself towards the Emperor, his blades outstretched.

For everyone's future.

* * *

Done! Oh boy, I have a lot to talk about. Starting with Lyrin and his templar buddies. So they're in Terraform's tomb now, and it's a rather spooky place. I actually had the design for the place in my head for over a decade, as it came to me in a nightmare when I was very young. Suffice to say, I am so excited to write about it for the first time. Only the most memorable dreams are remembered, and I can remember that dream in near perfect detail.

Also, you may be wondering who this Asmodeus is. So he's pretty much the devil that the Emperor killed in order to become Lord of Hell. I gave him a name and some importance.

Oh and just in case any of you have read my Golden Sun story, Terag was a direct reference to it, being "Garet" spelled backwards. The reference was when he found the seal by falling through the floor unintentionally, just like Garet did in Sol Sanctum.

I don't know if I pulled off the Emperor fight well. I tried, but something about it just didn't feel right. Now, I need to do shoutouts, because I have one that I particularly need to discuss.

**Karthik9: **You know, I starting to think you're copy-pasting your exact review from previous chapters. I appreciate the praise though, and hope you keep reading.

**Justyoumi: **I hope the Vicard vs. Mateus fight lived up to your expectations. It was difficult for me to write for some reason. Also, the name Terraform. Maybe it doesn't sound evil, but it isn't supposed to. This dark lord is named Terraform because it means "the process of changing the earth, or earth-changing." The dark lord literally did just that, changing and warping the entire planet to suit his needs, turning it into a desolate place. It fits his nature. Lastly, X-51. I've got some plans for this guy. Just you wait.

Tintti: Aha, the guest reviewer that gave me such an amazing review a few chapters ago and gave me incredible encouragement. However, your review is going to need a bit more of a shoutout than the others because you said a few things that need to be addressed.

"_First of all I do not understand why Raul and the other guy are so surprised because of Martins transformation. You tell us in chapter nine that the templars have magical powers and even an army. So why do the common people not know of those powers?"_

You see, Raul and Ferlis were so shocked to see this power is because they are from the military, not the Church. The Church and military have little to no contact apart from the odd story that others always viewed as being "falsified or embellished. The Church decided to get involved and show their true power for the first time because of the demonic nature of the Emperor and his Generals. If it had just been Perosia taking over, the church would not have stepped in at all, unless they were directly threatened. So Raul and Ferlis do not believe in magic, so when they see it for the first time, they are like, "Wait what the hell?!"

"_I really do hope that you have a good reason for bringing Tidus and FF X in your story! FF X is a shitty game and Tidus is even shittier (if possible) as a character.__ "_

I am sorry, but I do not agree with this statement at all. You are entitled to your opinion, but I personally enjoyed FFX very much. I found Tidus to be a refreshing change from all of the quiet, brooding heroes that have made up the series, like Cecil, Squall, Cloud, etc. He was fun and cheerful, and I found him very easy to relate to. People complain that he is whiny and annoying, but I disagree. I feel that he reacted very realistically to the situations that he was being presented with.

I could go on, but I think you get the point. I'm sorry if you do not like Tidus or FFX, but nevertheless they will be in this story for a very serious purpose. Claire's consciousness awoke somewhere, and Tidus' purpose was/is for some of that cheerfulness to rub off on the usually quiet and depressed Claire.

"_And the Emperor is as lovely as ever...although you do not show all the sides of him. (I can explain that statement later if you like...)"_

Please do. I would love to talk about this story with you further, but unfortunately you reviewed with a guest account, and as such I have no way of reaching you apart from this shoutout.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34


	11. Through the Darkness

There were now only five of them left. Including Lyrin, the only templars still alive were Angelina, Guntar, Rachel, and Yates.

Lyrin stood just outside the building where Porter had met his end. The way forward was unclear, as the city was extensive, with roads stretching in every direction. He was amazed that something this large could have been concealed beneath the cathedral for so long without ever being found.

Angelina stood at his side, her sword drawn. Ever since Porter had died, she had refused to sheathe her sword. It was a sentiment that the other templars had also mirrored, each of them carrying their swords in their hands. This place was more dangerous than even the countless battles Lyrin had been in. At least when he was fighting Shuryo, it had been an enemy that he could see and respect, not a nameless horror that stalked the empty streets of a forgotten city.

"I guess we should get moving. If we stay in one place, it just makes it more likely that…whatever is here will find us," Yates advised. Lyrin nodded, returning to reality from his thoughts. Their objective was Terraform. He couldn't afford to let himself lose sight of that, otherwise everything would be lost.

"This way," Lyrin ordered, choosing a random path forward. If anything, Terraform would be in the heart of the city, perhaps in some sort of command structure, like a city hall or palace.

"Do you have a plan?" Rachel asked nervously, looking around as she and the other templars followed the former Seraphim General obediently.

"First, we need to find out where we are going. Therefore I suggest we find a tall building upon which to stand," Lyrin replied. The streets they walked on appeared to be calm for now. There was no sign of any movement, or even that breathing sound, thankfully. All Lyrin could hear were the echoes of their footsteps rebounding off of the cavern walls.

"You think we can find Terraform that way?" Guntar asked next. Lyrin shook his head.

"No. I'm assuming Terraform will be sealed in a recognizable place. According to the story, the dark lord battled the gods in his dark palace. If we assume he was sealed in the same place, then I'm hoping we will be able to see the palace from higher up," Lyrin explained. The other templars nodded, satisfied by his answer.

They walked in silence for a good half hour, searching for either a high building or a place that matched the description of a palace. However, it seemed to Lyrin that they were currently walking through what seemed to be the poorer district of the ancient city. Barely any of the buildings rose above a single story, and those that did didn't offer much of a view.

When they reached the end of the poorer district, they found themselves blocked by a curving, stagnant river of the same reddish water that had claimed Terag's life. There was no clear way across, which posed a real problem to them.

"I'm not going near that water!" Rachel asserted, retreating away from the edge and hiding behind Lyrin. Completely disregarding her presence, there, Lyrin moved closer to the water, straining his eyes to try and see to the bottom. However, it was impossible to see more than a few inches into the murky surface.

They were standing in a small clearing surrounded by decrepit market stalls decorated with decaying fabric and dust. More skeletons like the ones at the city's entrance littered the ground, indicating that this market had been the site of a pitched battle. Lyrin noted that the fallen soldiers wore the same attire. That made sense. Lyrin couldn't imagine that shades would leave much behind when they were killed. As there was no longer any flesh on their bones, it would be impossible to determine cause of death for each soldier. It meant little, however, but Lyrin couldn't help but admit to himself that this cavern fascinated him.

Like the other templars, Lyrin had grown up listening to tales about the olden days, when mankind was in a golden age, led on by Krysan himself, who was said to frequently visit the mortal plane to spread his teachings of good and evil, soon gathering many followers. Lyrin was never told how, but at some point Terraform emerged, and Krysan stopped visiting the mortals, leaving them to their fate. Terraform supposedly ruled with an iron fist, controlling the nobles through the force of his will and enslaving the peasants, forcing them to build his cities and improve his palace. For soldiers, Terraform used shades, demons created with his own power. Lyrin had no idea what a shade looked like, and the older templars had never elaborated, but they made up the bulk of the dark lord's force. Finally, Terraform's forces and the gods' followers met in battle at the dark capitol, while the gods themselves engaged Terraform in a battle that was said to be so destructive, that the entire city sank beneath the earth's crust.

If Lyrin accepted the old legends as being true, then he was standing in the dark capitol himself. If he thought about it, it was no surprise that dark creatures and forces prowled this ancient place. Only the gods knew the extent of Terraform's depravity.

Not for the first time, Lyrin wondered if what he was doing was truly the right thing to do. Perhaps he was overestimating the Emperor's power, and Terraform would simply annihilate the usurper and subjugate the land like he had once before. In that case, the world would truly end, and it would be Lyrin's fault. However, Lyrin hoped that Terraform and the Emperor's power would be nearly equal, and as such the two would destroy one another, and leave the land to them again. It was wishful thinking, but it was all he had. Even if Terraform took over and brought a dark age to Mercadia, it would still be better than letting the Emperor and…Shirako… live. Lyrin's blood boiled simply thinking of that accursed demon.

"It's your call, sir. How do we proceed?" Yates asked, snapping Lyrin back to reality. The former general regarded the reddish water, his mind working hard on finding a solution. Something was in that water, though its nature eluded them. It devoured the flesh on Terag and left only his skull. Suddenly Lyrin had an idea.

Lyrin drew his sword and got down on his knees, so that he could easily reach the water's surface. While the other templars watched, he stuck his sword into the water and fished around, hoping to find some trace of whatever was in there. As he had expected, nothing happened. Whatever was in the water had no interest in cold steel. However…

Next, Lyrin grabbed the leg bone of the nearest skeleton. With his blade, he cut it off at the knee and lopped off the foot, leaving him with just the lower leg bone. If his guess was right, then the thing in the water had left Terag's skull because it had no real bone marrow in it. If he assumed that the creature's diet was bone marrow, then even a long dead bone such as this should still provoke a reaction from it.

The templars watched curiously as Lyrin dipped the bone into the water. At first, nothing happened, and Lyrin grew disappointed. However, when Lyrin moved to pull the bone out, the surface of the water began to roil furiously, and something grabbed onto the other end of the bone. Lyrin jerked forward, nearly falling into the water. When the other templars saw him unbalance, he felt strong arms grip him, keeping him on dry land.

"Not this time!" Lyrin heard Angelina say in his ear. When he had regained his balance, Lyrin grabbed onto the bone with both hands and tugged. It did almost nothing, and the tug increased, drawing Lyrin back towards the water.

"Haah!" Lyrin roared, and a white aura exploded from around him and streamed into the air. The ground cracked around his feet as the aura intensified. Lyrin felt strength running through his body, which he then used to pull on the bone. He felt something give way, and then Lyrin reeled backwards as the bone came flying out of the water, with something attached to the other end.

Lyrin was shocked to see that it wasn't a creature. It wasn't even alive. Clamped onto the end of the bone was a human skull. The skull was making odd hissing sounds as it chomped deeper into the bone, searching for the marrow. Lyrin's eyes widened, and then he hurled the bone to the ground and impaled the skull with his blade. The skull's hissing and thrashing intensified, before it finally grew still.

"Holy hell…how many of those are in the water?" Angelina gasped, gazing at the skull. Lyrin looked at the skull in confusion. This was nothing like what he had been expecting. A creature would have made sense.

"That doesn't make any sense. Skulls don't need sustenance, so why is this one attempting to eat human bones?" Yates pointed out, giving voice to Lyrin's thoughts. Before anyone else could formulate an answer, Lyrin grabbed the nearest skeleton and tossed the whole thing into the water. The surface of the water was disturbed immediately. Lyrin could see hundreds of skulls break the water's surface to reach the bones, clamping onto them with sharp teeth and dragging it to the bottom, leaving the reddish surface undisturbed once more.

"That's what killed Terag," Angelina observed. "But Yates is right, it doesn't make sense."

"This is more than likely a defense mechanism," Lyrin deduced. When the other templars looked at him, he continued. "No doubt these skulls are being controlled by an ancient enchantment that forces them to reanimate and chew the flesh and bones from any that would intrude here."

"That seems like a reasonable explanation, but who would have put them there? Terraform? Or someone else?" Rachel inquired. Lyrin thought about that. He had assumed that perhaps it was to keep people from foolishly resurrecting Terraform, but then that seemed useless because of the blood seal.

"Here's a few possibilities," Yates began. "Either Asmodeus himself put the spell on these skulls to keep people from doing what we're trying to do, or it is a left over spell from Terraform's defenses that were meant to keep out invaders."

"Either way, that water might as well be an acid. Step one foot in there and you're dead," Lyrin pointed out. The other templars nodded. "But we still need to cross."

"Using your whips is out of the question this time. The buildings on the other side are much higher than the ones on this side," Yates observed.

They lapsed into silence, as each of them wracked their brains for a solution. This continued for several minutes until Lyrin heard the sound of footsteps.

"Templars," Lyrin hissed immediately, grabbing his sword. The others did the same, immediately becoming alert when the heard the urgency in Lyrin's voice. "Something's coming."

The footsteps grew louder, until Lyrin was able to detect their source coming from a dark tunnel nearby that was cut into an outcropping of rock. Lyrin could see stairs leading up into the darkness, likely to another structure on the inside.

He held his blade up in a defensive stance, preparing himself physically and mentally for whatever was coming through that tunnel. For all he knew, it could be Terraform himself.

To his shock, Porter walked out of the tunnel, still very much alive. The other templars were also surprised to see him. Porter's armor was covered in streaks of blood, although there was a piece missing – the very same piece that Yates had found back in the house where he was supposed to have died. His hand was also gone, but it was bandaged up tightly, and the bleeding seemed to have stopped.

"Wait up guys. Don't leave me behind." Porter greeted them happily, smiling. Rachel was the first to run to him, hugging the man tightly. "Whoa, hey Rachel."

"Thank Krysan you're okay! I thought…I thought…" Rachel cried. Porter patted her on the head assuredly.

"That I had died? Please, as if something like that could kill me," he said, grinning. Yates appeared suspicious. The older templar stepped forward and approached Porter, who waved his hand in greeting.

"Porter…there was so much blood…is it really you?" Yates asked. Porter looked down at himself, comically checking to make sure he was still there.

"Seems so. Don't worry, that wasn't my blood. Turns out old Terraform left one of his shades behind. I ended up having to kill it. Who knew that an ethereal spirit could carry so much blood?" Porter explained. Lyrin heaved a sigh of relief. It felt much better to know that he hadn't lost two people after all. Porter had lost a hand, but he seemed to be fine.

"I was actually starting to worry," Angelina remarked. "I thought something was in these ruins, killing us off."

"As long as we don't touch the water, we should be fine," Porter assured her. "Speaking of which, we need to cross this river. Any ideas?"

"We were just thinking about that." Guntar answered. "So far, we haven' come up with anything."

"Porter, get this. There are freaking man-eating skulls in the water!" Rachel exclaimed, pointing at the skull that Lyrin had stabbed. Porter knelt down beside it, a perplexed look on his face.

"You don't say? That's something you don't see every day," he commented. Lyrin scoffed at that. Porter seemed awfully carefree, which was odd considering how desperately the man had screamed for help. Either way, Lyrin was just relieved he was alive.

"There's got to be a way across this river, I'm sure of it," Angelina said. "Perhaps we should try circumventing it and searching for a bridge?"

"Good idea. Say, how about we split up? We could cover more ground that way," Porter suggested "There were many different paths back in the tunnel I came from."

"Sounds good. Do it. Stay in groups of two," Lyrin ordered. "Angelina, come with me. The rest of you, pair off. Don't ever be alone."

The other templars nodded, and moved to do as they were ordered. Angelina joined Lyrin, while Guntar and Yates paired up. Porter smiled at Rachel when he realized that she was going to be with him.

Lyrin took the lead, walking into the tunnel, with the others close behind. Old dark torches on the walls ignited as they passed, filling the passage with a warm orange glow. He noticed multitudes of skeletons filling the tunnel, which made it clear to him that Terraform's shades must have made a stand here. Lyrin was walking uphill and the tunnel was narrow, which made this a perfect choke point at which to hold the gods' followers.

The path soon split, and so Guntar and Yates left the group to travel down the new tunnel.

"If you find anything, signal us by raising your magical aura. We'll be able to sense you," Lyrin had ordered. The two templars saluted him, and then disappeared into the darkness.

They traveled further for a few minutes before reaching another fork. Porter and Rachel traveled down this one, leaving Angelina and Lyrin alone. They continued unperturbed until the tunnel opened back out into the main chamber, only they were higher up than before.

They were in another section of the city that was carved into the rock wall above the main city, creating a makeshift balcony that overlooked the noble district that Lyrin was trying to reach. This also doubled as an opportunity to search out the location of the palace, where Terraform was likely to be sealed.

"Angelina, watch my back. I'm going to take a look over the edge," Lyrin commanded. Angelina nodded and saluted. She turned the other direction and watched the abandoned streets closely.

Lyrin peered over the edge, and immediately saw what he was looking for. In the middle of the district across the river, he could see a massive dark castle that towered over the other buildings. The architecture was different than any other he'd ever seen, being even stranger than Cerynthian architecture. The walls of the place were angular and topped with large battlements, upon which were perched statues of strange creatures at regular intervals. The keep, which Lyrin could see was taller than the walls, was not low and square like typical fortresses, but was instead a twisted dark tower that towered above the walls and rose all the way to the top of the cavern before finally terminating in a wicked point. The tower was heavily defended, with deadly ballistae lining the exterior and wicked spiked battlements preventing those who would try to climb it. Lyrin could see torches burning from all the way over here as tiny orange dots that covered the tower. He marveled that none of them were able to see it from the ground. It was massive.

"We can probably call the others now. We are significantly higher than the buildings down below, such that my whips can provide us a way down," Lyrin said, breaking the oppressive silence. Angelina nodded, and was about to raise her aura when they heard a faint scream emanate from the tunnel. Lyrin whirled around immediately, recognizing whose voice that was.

"Rachel!" Lyrin shouted, drawing his sword. Without waiting for Angelina, he sprinted back into the tunnel, heading towards the passage that Porter and Rachel had taken. He couldn't imagine what could have happened. Porter was one of the stronger templars among them, and should have been able to protect her, even with only one hand.

"Wait up, General!" Angelina called, running after him. Lyrin was too worried about Rachel to bother correcting her about his title.

When they neared the tunnel where Porter and Rachel had gone, they ran into Guntar and Yates, who had heard the scream as well. They joined together immediately and ran down the passage, searching for any sign of the other two templars.

The tunnel soon opened out into a small cavern. The first thing Lyrin noticed was the blood that covered nearly the entire room. Lyrin froze in place, hardly able to believe his eyes.

Porter stood completely still, his sword hanging loosely by his side. The blade was clean, indicating that he hadn't used it. His head was hung and his eyes were oddly blank.

Upon seeing Rachel, Lyrin was horrified and distraught. There was nothing left of her apart from a bloody skeleton covered with bits of flesh. Every single internal organ had been crushed and spread across the room. However, what was even worse was that Rachel's head was still completely intact. Upon her lifeless face was stamped a look of extreme terror.

Lyrin knelt down, covering his mouth as a wave of nausea struck him. This was too much, even for him. Never before had he seen someone killed in such a gruesome way. Next to him, Angelina was devastated. She stepped forward, glaring at Porter with teary eyes.

"She…she didn't even want to be here…she…you son of a bitch…WHY DIDN'T YOU PROTECT HER?!" Angelina demanded, running up to Porter and punching him in the face, hard. Porter reeled back, but didn't react, still wearing that oddly blank expression.

"What could have done this?" Yates snapped angrily, looking around the cavern. Guntar was still in shock, his shoulders shaking.

"Porter…tell us…what happened," Lyrin ordered weakly, stumbling to his feet. Porter didn't reply. Lyrin's eyes narrowed, and he stepped closer. His voice snapped like a whip. "Porter! That was an order!"

Now Porter reacted. The templar turned in place to view Lyrin, his movements jerky and slow. His gaze met Lyrin's. Lyrin could tell by the glazed look in Porter's eyes that the templar had been dead for a long time.

Porter began to laugh. It was a horrible, twisted sound, one that grew deeper in pitch until it sounded unearthly and demonic. Lyrin reeled back when the former templar's skin began to sublimate, evaporating off of his bones along with everything else. Even when his face evaporated, the demonic laughter continued until there was nothing else left of him but bones. Porter's bones fell the ground and scattered, inert.

None of them said anything. There was nothing to be said. All of them were dealing with their feelings, which threatened to overwhelm them. Rachel had been the most timid of them all, but she was sweet, willing to follow them into hell itself if it would put an end to this war. No one deserved to die like that, especially Rachel.

"Come on," Lyrin finally said. "We have to keep going. Everyone that died here today will be remembered. I swear it."

"When we free Terraform…I'm going to bomb this place into oblivion," Yates growled venomously. Guntar grunted in agreement. He was currently kneeling by what was left of Rachel, crying softly.

Suddenly, Rachel's bloody, skeletal hand shot up and grabbed Guntar by the throat. Guntar let out a choked gurgle, alerting Lyrin to what was going on.

"What the…" Lyrin gasped, rushing over to them. Rachel's head lifted up, her eyes blank and listless. Her mouth opened, and she emitted a terrible inhuman shriek that seemed to tear right through Lyrin's skull. Lyrin dropped his sword and clamped his hands to his ears, but even that wouldn't completely block it out.

Angelina was the first to reach Guntar. With a nearly inaudible grunt, she sliced through Rachel's arm with her sword, which allowed Guntar to remove the bony hand from his throat. Then, as the thing that used to be Rachel oriented on its attacker, Angelina slashed furiously, cutting it into multiple pieces. Then, she released a wave of light energy from her free hand, incinerating the skeleton. There was now nothing left of Rachel except for a pile of ashes.

Guntar was in shock. He knelt there, looking at the pile of ashes, unable or unwilling to move. It wasn't until Yates lifted him up by his arm did he start moving, although it was easy to tell that Guntar would be forever marked by this experience.

"This cave is evil," Lyrin grunted, getting up from the ground. He grabbed his sword and held it by his side. Then, he moved back towards the tunnel that would lead back to the upper city. "It's killing us off and then using our own dead against us."

"Yeah. The sooner we find Terraform, the better," Yates added. With that, the group of four traveled back down the passage until they again found themselves on the upper city, overlooking the noble district where the dark tower could be seen.

"I'm assuming that's our destination," Yates observed, watching Lyrin for confirmation. Lyrin nodded, and then allowed a particularly long whip of light to extend from his hand. "Good idea, sir. We can zip down there from here."

Lyrin took a step forward and then hurled the whip with all of his strength, adding more and more of his power to the whip to lengthen it, until it was long enough to reach the roof of one of the buildings in the noble district. Like before, he anchored it in the building's foundation. The other end he anchored into a nearby building.

"I'll go first this time. If there's any surprises waiting for us, I'll be ready for them," Lyrin decided. The other templars nodded and allowed him room. Using the same strip of fabric that he had used the first time, Lyrin climbed over the edge and zipped down the line towards the noble district.

He had only been traveling for a few seconds before he could feel a significant difference in the aura of the air. The air was filled with so much evil magic that he could almost feel it, crawling on his skin like some sort of infernal insect. Its source was definitely coming from the dark tower. It was so strong that Lyrin realized it had been covering the entire cave, at differing levels of strength. Here, the evil was at is strongest. No doubt there would be even more diabolical threats waiting for them.

Lyrin landed on the roof smoothly. He took a few steps forward in order to scout ahead, as well as give the others room to land. When he reached the edge of the building, he noticed that there was practically a straight path between the buildings leading directly to the gates of the dark tower.

Yates, Guntar, and Angelina soon joined him on the rooftop, allowing Lyrin to dissipate the whip.

"Just a little farther everyone," Lyrin attempted to reassure them. He didn't get a reply from any of them. He couldn't blame them. In a situation like this, all of them just wanted it to be over. Even he was scared. This place was worse than his darkest nightmares.

Lyrin descended the rooftop, with the templars close behind. All that was left was to walk towards the tower. Terraform would no doubt be inside, and this nightmare would end.

Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be that easy. Almost immediately after they started walking down the street towards the tower, Lyrin could detect something wrong. He could hear faint whispers coming from seemingly every direction. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but it was enough to set the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"Does…does anyone else here those whispers?" Guntar asked nervously.

"Yeah, I hear them," Yates replied. Lyrin kept his eyes forward. The whispering was certainly unsettling, but he was keeping his eyes peeled for signs of any material threats.

Lyrin suddenly noticed something terrifying. In the alleyways between buildings, the shadows were moving. They weren't moving like something living, but instead they were flickering and dancing like fire. Lyrin's grip tightened on his sword.

"We need to move faster," Lyrin hissed, breaking into a run. None of the templars questioned him, matching his pace without hesitation. Lyrin did not know what the moving shadows meant, but he wasn't sticking around to find out.

As they drew closer and closer to the dark tower, the whispers steadily grew in volume. Lyrin began to sweat furiously. It took all of his willpower not to panic. He shouldn't have to fight things he can't see. This whole thing felt so unbelievable to him. Never in his life would he have believed that a place like this could possibly exist.

All of a sudden, the whispers grew deafening, and then Lyrin heard Guntar scream. He whirled around immediately, just in time to see the templar being dragged into a pitch-black alley by seemingly the darkness itself. There was a claw shaped cloud of black smoke clamped onto Guntar's leg, but Lyrin only saw it for a split second before Guntar was gone.

"Guntar!" Lyrin roared, and moved to pursue, but then Angelina slammed her elbow on his back, pushing him to the ground. Lyrin rolled over and was about to shout at her when a wisp of black smoke similar to the one that had taken Guntar grasped at the very location where he had been standing. Angelina roared and brought her sword down, only to see the blade pass right through the smoke. The darkness withdrew back into the alley.

Yates frantically slashed at another claw of darkness that was coming for him, but it was in vain. Lyrin leapt to his feet to try and help. He was rushing towards Yates when the shadows assaulting him at last took on a form.

Lyrin couldn't see it very well, instead only seeing the glaring red of its eyes and the flash of light on its teeth seconds before it clamped its jaws right over Yates' middle and drew him into the darkness. Lyrin stopped at the entrance to the alley and screamed in frustration. He was losing everyone, and it was killing him inside.

Angelina grabbed him on the shoulder and pulled him towards the dark tower. He tried to resist and go back for the two templars, but she smacked him hard, causing him to turn and glare at her.

"Leave them! We can't fight something we can't hit! Let's go, it's just a little farther!" Angelina shouted at him. Lyrin hesitated, but then he heard the sound of whispering approaching them from behind, and that was all the encouragement he needed. He sprinted towards the open gates that led to the dark tower, hoping to find sanctuary from the horror that pursued them. Angelina was right beside him, her dark hair flowing behind her.

The gates in front of them slowly began to close, causing adrenaline to shoot through Lyrin's veins. He let out a cry and sped up, using his powers of light to boost his speed. He sped through the gate and stopped, turning around to make sure Angelina was behind him.

To his horror, the gate was closing and Angelina was nowhere near as fast as him. Angelina's face adopted a look of horror when she realized that she wasn't going to make it. Then, she became calm, acceptance crossing her face. She stopped at the gates, which were too close together for her to get through. She met Lyrin's gaze and gave him a small smile.

"No! Angelina!" Lyrin shouted, and tried to go after her. The last thing he saw of her was a crisp salute just before the gates shut with a thunderous boom. Lyrin hit the gate pointlessly, frustration and despair threatening to overcome him. They had all come here because of him, following him because they trusted him, and he had lost them. All of them! He was the only one left. What was the point of all this?

"Why am I alive? Why me? Why do I deserve to live when six good people didn't?" Lyrin asked himself despairingly. He almost wanted to join them in death, leaving this terrible world behind. But he couldn't let himself do that. Terraform couldn't be far away. All it would take is a climb up that tower. Lyrin tried to gather up the courage to move.

"Lyrin…" a soft, strikingly familiar voice called from behind him. Lyrin froze dead, unable to believe his ears. His eyes widened, and his jaw dropped in terror. It couldn't be. Lyrin begged whatever gods there were not to do this to him. He had already gone through so much in this damn cave. He wasn't sure if he'd be able to take it.

Lyrin turned slowly, not wanting to see what he knew would be there. As he did so, the nostalgic smell of honeyed strawberries filled his nostrils. He began to tremble. He finally saw it. He locked eyes with those soft golden brown eyes that he knew so well. He could never forget them.

She tilted her head to one side, her lips curving into a smile. Lyrin stumbled, barely able to keep his feet. Suddenly, light filled the cave.

Lyrin looked around to find himself not in Terraform's dark cave, but instead in a small cabin. He was standing next to small double bed with soft feather pillows, the lilac covers slightly disturbed, showing signs of recent use. He was standing on a soft green carpet, which conformed to the shape of his toes. This led him to realize that he was barefoot.

There was a small desk tucked in one corner of the house, upon which he could see a desktop computer and keyboard, along with a filing cabinet next to it. The perfect office set up. He could see a door leading to a kitchen just next to it, like he had always wanted. It made it easier to grab something to eat or drink while working. Through another door, Lyrin could see two small, unoccupied beds that were neatly made.

Standing in front of the front door was the girl for which he would have given up everything to spend another minute with her. She looked into his eyes, and Lyrin knew that it was over. When she opened her arms, Lyrin couldn't resist. He walked forward and fell into her embrace, resting his head on her shoulder and crying soundlessly. She smiled and caressed his head gently.

"Welcome home, my Lyrin," she cooed to him lovingly. Lyrin was crying like a baby. It was too good to be true. He knew it was likely an illusion, but he couldn't help it. After everything he'd been through, he could think of no better way to die than in the arms of the one he loved.

"I love you, Rianna," Lyrin sobbed, his grip around his lover tightening. Rianna laughed a little, that blush that she tended to wear appearing on her cheeks again. She kissed him gently on the forehead, and then released him. Lyrin stepped back reluctantly, wiping the tears from his eyes. He hated how his tough exterior had melted in an instant just by seeing her, even if it wasn't the real her.

The front door opened with a bang, and sunlight streamed through. He could hear the sound of children laughing, and Lyrin soon saw a boy and a girl running into the house, smiling and laughing happily. Rianna's smile widened and she knelt down, grabbing one of them in a loving embrace. The girl ran towards Lyrin, her youthful eyes meeting his, her arms raised upwards, begging for similar treatment.

Lyrin knew who she was immediately, even if she had never existed in reality. If they ever had children, Rianna had told him that she wanted to name the girl Larissa, and the boy Raven. Therefore, when Larissa reached him, Lyrin gave in and reached down, allowing her tiny hands to cling to his. He lifted her up, hearing her laugh happily in his ears. He carried her gracefully, and then looked over at Rianna, who met his gaze. She gave him another smile.

Then everything changed. Gone was the simple cabin, to be replaced by one of the bottom floors of Krystmar in the catacombs. Engraved on the ground was an old blood seal, covered in spatters of blood. It had been unwittingly opened by none other than Lyrin himself.

All of the happy feelings that Lyrin had been feeling after witnessing the future that had been stolen from him were completely snuffed out in a second, to be replaced by one of horror and despair. Lyrin collapsed.

"No…no…please…don't…don't show me this," Lyrin whimpered, holding his head in his hands. Then he snapped, looking up. "DON'T SHOW ME THIS!"

The second he looked up he heard it. He heard that noise that had changed his life forever. It was simple noise, consisting of nothing more than a small _shik._ Lyrin looked up to see Shirako standing there, his rapier buried deep into Rianna's chest.

She had done nothing to him. All she did was apologize for waking him and politely ask for both parties to forgive and forget. She was always the peacemaker. She was always the one to step in the middle of arguments and break them up in such a way that both parties walked away happy. To her, Shirako was just another argument that needed to be settled.

Instead Shirako had murdered her without a second thought, or even a reply. He had destroyed Lyrin's reason to live in less than a second, and then had the nerve to laugh about it. Just after Lyrin had just recalled that horrible laugh, he heard it. The Shirako that stood in front of him laughed derisively, kicking her body off of his blade. Lyrin rushed forward and caught her, just like he had all those years ago.

This time, Rianna was dead when he caught her, and did not hang on to life as she had originally. Lyrin began to cry again as he looked at her face, which permanently wore an expression of surprise and disbelief. He gently lowered her to the ground, and then reached for his sword.

"You won't be needing that," Shirako told him, his red eyes narrowing evilly. Lyrin suddenly felt that his sword and sheath were gone. "Looking for this?"

Lyrin saw his weapon in Shirako's free hand. Lyrin lunged for it, only to feel the demon's fist plow right into his jaw, snapping his head to the right. Lyrin stumbled backwards, holding the affected spot. He could hear Shirako laughing hysterically.

"Look at you. You're rendered useless simply because your loved one died? Pathetic!" Shirako spat. Lyrin didn't reply, because he knew the demon was right. After Rianna's death, Lyrin had promptly left the church after a brief crisis of faith. His entire life had changed, as had he. No longer was he the carefree child that had asked Vicard how to use the light. No longer did he run around with his friends in the gardens of Krystmar.

"You don't need this blade, you already have a weapon. Let your hatred be your strength. It is a font of power that you haven't even begun to tap into," Shirako advised him. Lyrin looked up at him, taking in his words. "How do you think you will ever be able to defeat me if you don't?"

"Look at me, mortal. Show me the hate that you feel. What's the matter? Don't you care that I murdered your girl? Ruined your life?" Shirako continued, a wicked grin crossing his pale face. "You're a useless waste of space, a failure of a human being. You're not even fit to lick the dirt underneath my boots. You will die, and then you will mean nothing. No one will remember you. No one will care. Your existence is…"

Lyrin couldn't take it anymore. Shirako continued to fill his head with poisoned words, denigrating him. The more he talked, the angrier Lyrin got. Finally, Lyrin let go. It was like there had been a dam in his mind, holding back a flood of pure power. With every word Shirako said, the dam crumbled, until the light flew forth.

"SHUT UP!" Lyrin roared, and then light erupted around him, filling the room with holy light. Lyrin felt his body changing, growing larger and taller. He held up his right hand, and a massive blade of pure light appeared there, in the shape of a cleaver. In his other hand, a thick, corded whip extended from his wrist, trailing along the ground. Lyrin's body began to glow with golden light. His hair broke out of his standard ponytail and became stiff and spiky, turning pure silver in color. It lengthened until it fell down to his waist.

Once his transformation was complete, Lyrin lashed out with all of his newfound power. Shirako's eyes widened, but not in horror. An ecstatic grin crossed his face as he was engulfed with a massive shockwave emanated from the impact of Lyrin's blade and the ground. There was an explosion so large, it broke the entire room, and seemed to even break the entire world, as Lyrin's surroundings shattered like glass. Everything went white for him, yet he was still conscious.

"Excellent," Lyrin heard Shirako whisper.

When Lyrin could finally see again, he found that he was back in the courtyard, just in front of the entrance to the dark tower. He looked down at his body, noting how different he looked. He had done it. Martin and Vicard both had a transformation that they called "the ascended form." According to them, it was a form that granted a templar a significant boost in power and speed. The catch was that it was nearly impossible for a templar to achieve without several decades of training. That being said, Lyrin felt accomplished for having achieved it so early.

"I knew you could do it." Lyrin growled as he heard her voice again. He turned, still in his ascended form, to see Rianna again. Why more illusions? He knew it wasn't the real Rianna, and he wouldn't let her take him off guard again. When Rianna took another step closer, Lyrin stabbed his cleaver into the ground between them, blocking her progress.

"Not another step. I'm tired of this place and its goddamn illusions!" Lyrin roared. Then, Rianna appeared in front of him suddenly, a knowing smile on her face. She flicked him lightly on the forehead, like she always used to.

"Does that matter?" Rianna asked. Lyrin wanted to knock her away, but he couldn't. No matter how much his brain screamed at him to destroy the illusion, his heart wouldn't let him. "I want to talk to you."

"I'm listening," Lyrin grunted in response. Rianna smiled again.

"Okay. Why did you break our promise?" she asked innocently. Lyrin froze. He had never broken their promise. He had dedicated his entire life to achieving peace so that her spirit could be at rest!

"I never did! Why do you think I left the church? The only way to bring peace to the world was to end the war!" Lyrin shot back, though he realized how foolish he sounded. Rianna looked sad.

"Violence only brings more violence, Lyrin. I wanted everything to be peaceful, so that we could enjoy the beauty of nature together," Rianna continued. Lyrin realized what she was getting at, and he was distraught. His body reverted to its original form, leaving him at the same size as Rianna again. She ran a hand along his cheek, cupping it. "My fondest wish was for you to continue to enjoy life in my stead, even as I died. But you didn't. You did the opposite."

Lyrin couldn't respond. She was right. All he had done was do the exact opposite of what she wanted. He had never taken time out of his day to enjoy life, instead spending every hour of every day planning strategies to destroy Perosia in battle. He had convinced himself that the sooner Perosia fell, the sooner the world would be at peace. He now realized that that had been a lie. He was ashamed of himself. He had lived his entire life defying Rianna.

"You need to move on, Lyrin. Bring peace to the world, as we promised," Rianna told him, bringing her face to his, while wrapping her arms around him. Lyrin gazed into her eyes. He never wanted to look away again. Suddenly, Rianna's body began to fade away. Lyrin started, but then relaxed. He knew he couldn't keep her here. She belonged in heaven, with Krysan. "Move on, and find another to love as much as you loved me. Don't live life alone."

Lyrin felt a soft kiss on his lips just before Rianna faded away completely. Lyrin stood in silence, watching the spot where she had stood only a few moments ago. He did not understand at all what had just happened. Was the Rianna that had just spoken to him an illusion? Or was it actually Rianna's spirit, utilizing the immense magical energy in the place to speak with him? He would never know.

Suddenly, the wall that Lyrin was facing broke open with a crash, a blaze of light magic shooting through it. Lyrin was on guard immediately, raising his sword that had reappeared back at his side. He didn't know what devilry was going to present itself to him next, but he would be ready.

He certainly hadn't expected Angelina to come tumbling through the wall, light magic licking up the blade of her sword. She turned around and cleaved right through the ribcage of a skeleton that had been chasing her. She gave a battle cry, and then slammed an orb of light directly into the skeleton's skull, shattering it. The bones fell to the ground, inert.

Angelina turned around, and was visibly surprised to see Lyrin. She ran towards him, only to find Lyrin's sword pointing directly at her heart. "Lyrin…wha...?."

"Not another step," Lyrin snapped, his voice harder than steel. "I am tired of this place and its cursed illusions! You will not kill me like you killed Rachel!"

"Lyrin, I'm not like Porter was! I'm still alive! See, I can use light magic!" Angelina pleaded with him, summoning another orb. Lyrin wanted to believe that it was actually the real Angelina in front of him, but he had seen her being cornered by shadow just before the gate had closed.

"Prove it!" Lyrin spat. Angelina nodded furiously, backing away from the point of Lyrin's sword.

"Um...how do I …oh yeah! Terag was the one who found the blood seal in the first place, remember? He was being lazy but ended up finding it because he broke the floor with his sword!" Angelina told him. Lyrin paused, and then lowered his sword. That had been when they were out of the cave. The dark magic had been held back by the blood seal, which he hoped meant that it couldn't emulate such memories. Even so, Lyrin wasn't taking any chances.

"Fine. You walk in front of me. I'm not going to risk getting stabbed in the back," Lyrin shot back. Angelina nodded again, and then stepped in front of him. "Let's go. The entrance to the tower is just ahead."

Angelina led the way towards the tower, walking carefully. Lyrin never sheathed his sword. This place had made him paranoid of everything he took for granted. He wasn't about to fall victim to this place.

Despite his trepidation, Lyrin felt relieved to know that he didn't have to continue on alone. He wasn't sure that his mind would have been able to take solitude in this cursed place.

They entered the tower, and noted that a giant spiral staircase rose only a few meters ahead of them. That was what they wanted, because more than likely Terraform would be sealed at the very top.

It was oddly quiet as they climbed the dark staircase. Neither Lyrin nor Angelina said a word. They all knew what they had lost just getting this far, and as such there was no need to put it into words.

How many steps had they climbed already? Lyrin had lost count around a thousand. For every hundred or so, there was a doorway that led out onto another floor, with many different rooms whose purpose Lyrin could not guess.

Lyrin didn't know how long it took, but soon they stood in the top room of the tower. It was unique from the other floors in that it consisted of just one massive room.

Several pillars were in the room, arranged in a circular pattern. Upon each of these pillars were engraved many different archaic runes that Lyrin couldn't even begin to understand. The pillars did not span the height of the room, instead terminating at about halfway up.

From each of these pillars, a groove was cut into the ground that headed directly towards the center, where a large sarcophagus stood upright. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the sarcophagus must be the resting place for Terraform. That hypothesis was compounded when Lyrin spotted the extensive blood circle that was engraved upon it.

"This is it," Angelina whispered, walking up to the sarcophagus. She ran a hand across it in awe. "Terraform is standing right in front of me."

"Get back. I'm going to have to use blood magic to open this," Lyrin ordered. Angelina nodded and put some space between her and the sarcophagus. She stood next to Lyrin. He found that she was standing too close for comfort, so he stepped away from her. Then, he lifted his hands and formed the crimson circle that was the releasing spell. He was about to cut himself when blood streamed into the circle. He looked to see that Angelina was giving blood to him from several fresh wounds that she must have received from fighting the undead.

The entire room began to shake violently as the crimson circle began grow. The blood seal on the sarcophagus began to glow brightly, reacting to Lyrin's blood magic.

Angelina fell to her knees, and the stream of blood from her wounds ceased. Lyrin grunted worriedly, but he could tend to her later. She had given him more than enough blood to release the seal.

The tremors increased to a point where Lyrin could barely keep his feet. Even so, he refused to budge. The crimson circle grew larger, until it encompassed the entirety of the blood seal. Then, it shrunk, taking the lid of the sarcophagus with it. The tremors ceased immediately and everything seemed calm once more.

When the dust cleared, Lyrin peered into the sarcophagus and saw a dark figure inside. Lyrin tensed. If this was Terraform, then their mission was a success. He took a step forward.

He saw the skeleton of an impossibly tall man standing upright in the sarcophagus. Upon its skull was a headdress made of golden fabric that cascaded over its shoulder blades, adorned with dark blue stripes. Worn around its neck were several jeweled necklaces that still shone brightly despite their age. Beneath the shoulder joints and around the wrists were similarly jeweled bands. For clothing, it wore very little save for a kilt that was colored gold, brown, and blue. At the skeleton's side was an ornate staff covered with the same runes as the pillars, and topped with a sculpted cobra, depicted with its jaws open.

"Is…is that Terraform?" Angelina asked timidly. Almost immediately after her voice sounded, the skeleton burst out of the sarcophagus, planting a bony fist directly into Lyrin's face. There was so much force behind the punch that Lyrin's neck nearly broke, and would have killed him if he hadn't transformed to his ascended form just before impact.

Lyrin skidded backwards, holding his face where he had been hit. Growling, he retaliated at the skeleton with the powerful whip, only to discovered that the skeleton was not there anymore. Lyrin felt an impact on his stomach, followed by so many more that Lyrin doubled over in pain, seeing the skeleton hammering away at his midsection.

He tried to swipe with his cleaver, but the skeleton calmly blocked the blade with the back of its hand and forced it away like it was nothing, and continued to assault Lyrin, beating the powerful templar into the ground easily. Lyrin suddenly realized that he had never been more outmatched in his life.

The skeleton grabbed Lyrin's face and slammed him to the ground, earning a pained cry from him. Then, Lyrin felt a hand constricting his throat powerfully. He was lifted into the air by the overly strong skeleton, his feet kicking uselessly in midair. His vision began to narrow as he struggled to breathe. After all this, was he going to die here?

Then, Lyrin managed to notice something on the skeleton's rib cage. Engraved upon the bone was yet another blood seal, though this one was significantly smaller in size. Did that mean that the skeleton wasn't even at its full power, even though it was tossing him around like he was nothing?

"Wait!" Lyrin choked out, fighting to keep himself conscious. The skeleton paused, ever so slightly loosening its grip so Lyrin could speak. "That seal…we came to break it!"

The skeleton's empty eye sockets started into Lyrin's eyes, as if searching for signs of a lie. When it found none, it threw Lyrin effortlessly to the ground.

"Are you all right?" Angelina asked worriedly, running to Lyrin and helping him up. Lyrin nodded, trying to regain his breath. The skeleton stood completely still, waiting for Lyrin to break the seal on its ribcage.

"We have…one more seal to break," Lyrin informed Angelina. Angelina was about to open her bandages again when Lyrin stopped her. "No…you've given enough. It is my turn."

Lyrin formed another circle of blood magic, causing the blood seal on the skeleton to react and glow faintly. The blood from the wounds inflicted upon him by the skeleton streamed to the circle.

As the blood seal was much smaller than the first two, it only took a little blood before the seal disappeared from the skeleton's chest. Lyrin watched the creature carefully. He had no way to know what it would do now that the seal was broken.

The skeleton did not move. Lyrin was beginning to wonder if something had gone wrong. However, suddenly he heard the sound of something beating. Almost like a heartbeat.

Lyrin's eyes widened. It was true. A heart had formed inside the ribcage of the skeleton and was beating rapidly. Blood traveled from the heart, forming blood vessels as it went. It only took a single minute for the blood to circulate the entirety of the skeleton, weaving a network of veins and arteries. Lyrin blinked. He just watched the entire cardiovascular system reconstruct itself in front of him.

That wasn't the end of it. The skeleton continued to regenerate, forming internal organs, muscles, and at last skin. Tanned, unmarked skin flowed across its body, completing its regeneration.

The man, for that was what it was now, stood tall, looking over his regenerated body with interest. The man's eyes were colored an emerald green, and the headdress largely obscured his hair. His eyes were slim and lined with black eyeliner. His nose was sharp and his mouth twitched, like there was a smile just waiting to form.

"Terraform?" Lyrin asked nervously, as the man had said nothing since his rebirth. Before answering, the man lifted his arm and opened his hand. The staff in the sarcophagus flew to his hand immediately.

"No," the man answered at last. Lyrin's spirits plummeted. After all of that, it wasn't even Terraform? Where was he then, and how could they unseal him? The man noticed Lyrin's distraught look and chuckled. "You are close, though."

"If you aren't Terraform, who are you?" Lyrin demanded, frustrated.

"I have no definitive name, as I have been called many things. I am the will of Lord Terraform, the one who gives voice to his commands," the man explained enigmatically. "You, however, may call me Pharaoh."

"With all due respect, Pharaoh, I came here to release Terraform, not you," Lyrin growled. He was getting very frustrated with this whole situation. He just wanted to free Terraform and get out.

Pharaoh's eyes narrowed, and he adopted an annoyed expression. Lyrin then heard a crack, and then his head snapped to the side. Did…did Pharaoh just backhand him?

"Patience! You will refer to him as _Lord _Terraform, and you will speak to me with the respect I deserve!" Pharaoh snapped, his gaze thunderous. Lyrin reeled back, realizing that he was in the presence of someone thousands of times older and stronger than him. "You should not speak about things you do not understand. I was sealed here as a final defense mechanism against Lord Terraform's rebirth. They hoped that in my confusion, I would kill whoever released me before they could unlock the second seal on my powers."

At that, Pharaoh turned the other direction and lifted his hand. Clenching it into a fist, he punched the air, which actually dilated and cracked underneath his fist. Lyrin watched the spectacle, shocked and perplexed. Allowing his staff to float in the air next to him, Pharaoh widened the dark hole made in midair with his hands, until it was large enough to be considered an abyss. Lyrin realized, when he looked inside to see a completely different world, that he was staring into a portal.

"Lord Terraform was sealed away in the Interdimensional Rift, as his power would corrupt and pervert anything in a certain proximity to him. Even so, you should have been able to feel the effects of his power." Pharaoh continued, stepping aside so that Lyrin could take in what lay on the other side of the portal.

He could see a strange stone shrine standing in the middle of a green field, with forests surrounding it. Strange angelic statues surrounded it in a circular pattern. Lyrin decided that it must be a place of worship, though if Pharaoh was to be believed, then he was also looking into the Interdimensional Rift itself.

"I don't know what to say," Angelina breathed beside Lyrin, gazing through the portal with wide eyes. Pharaoh took a step inside the portal, and then beckoned for the both of them to follow.

"Come. Lord Terraform's seal will no doubt require our cooperation," Pharaoh ordered. Lyrin walked towards the portal tentatively, realizing that by taking this path, he was giving up his command for good. There was no way that Pharaoh or Terraform would ever respect his authority.

"If only the others were alive to see this," Angelina whispered, following Lyrin closely. Her words caused Pharaoh to look at her curiously. When she noticed his look, she elaborated. "We came here with five others, who perished on the way here."

"I see. Do not worry. Lord Terraform is not the kind to disregard valor where it is given. He will no doubt honor your fallen companions," Pharaoh reassured her. This confused both Lyrin and Angelina.

"But, how can you honor them? They are dead," Angelina pointed out. That earned an ominous chuckle from their guide.

"So?" Pharaoh uttered that one chilling word in such a way that a shiver ran down Lyrin's spine. Neither Angelina nor him could bring herself or himself to respond to that.

The three of them entered the Rift at last, the portal closing behind them. Pharaoh didn't seem worried about that at all, as he did not react.

Pharaoh led them up to the entrance to the shrine, and then through an arched doorway into what looked to be a place of worship. Lyrin could see an arrangement of crumbling pews, facing a shattered altar, which had a bowl of tarnished silver sitting atop it.

Lyrin became unsettled when they walked past the pews, as he could see many human skeletons sprawled across the ruined pews, charred and blackened beyond all recognition. Pharaoh paid no attention to either of them, instead walking up to the raised platform where the altar was. Instead of climbing to the top of the aforementioned platform, Pharaoh placed his hand on the side of it.

"At long last, the voice returns to the throat of the speaker," he declared in an official tone. Lyrin watched in awe as the bricks that made up the platform began to rotate and peel away, until a perfectly rectangular doorway had appeared there, leading into the darkness.

Pharaoh stepped into the doorway, the tip of his staff igniting with a white flame. Lyrin and Angelina followed him inside, barely able to see anything except Pharaoh, his body outlined by white light.

"The seal ahead will be slightly more complex than a simple blood seal. The gods wished to ensure that it couldn't be opened by a one foolish man that happened to know basic blood magic," Pharaoh explained.

"Understandable. What does it entail?" Lyrin replied as they traveled through the dark passage. He realized that this was the first time he had spoken since entering the Rift.

"The original seal could only be opened by the consent of two followers of each of the gods, as well as a practitioner of blood magic. There is also an incantation that must be recited," Pharaoh explained. "It is fortunate that the two of you can utilize light magic, which is the essence of the god Krysan. Otherwise, we would not be able to break the seal."

"Here we are," Pharaoh at last said, stopping in the middle of a moderately sized room, where a single stone monolith took up the entirety of the back wall. Engraved upon the center monolith was the image of a cloaked figure, superimposed against the same sun and moon motif that they had seen at the entrance to the dark city. Just beneath it were the sprawling crimson grooves indicative of a blood seal.

To the right of the blood seal was another seal, only this one gently pulsated with a golden light. A similar seal was on the left of the blood seal, only this one was a dark violet.

"Leave the incantation and dark magic to me. You, man. Work your blood magic. Woman, I want you to blast the light seal with your magic. Only when all elements are working together will the seal break," Pharaoh instructed. Lyrin gave him a flat browed look.

"My name is Lyrin, by the way, and this is Angelina," Lyrin told Pharaoh, even as he prepared to do as he had been ordered. Pharaoh did not reply, instead holding up his staff. The white fire there turned black, and shot forth in a stream of black energy that collided with the dark seal. Lyrin sighed and opened up his wounds once more, creating another crimson circle. As blood streamed into the circle, Angelina shot her palms and fired a powerful blast of light magic, smashing into the light seal violently. The monolith began to glow, and the ground began to shake, cracks appearing at the base of it and spreading outwards. Lyrin could feel the ground shift beneath his feet, but he gritted his teeth and continued to cast the spell.

"Krysan forgive us," Angelina yelled over the sound of the combined magics. Pharaoh stepped closer to the monolith.

"Asmodeus, Lord of Hell, and Krysan, Lord of the Heavens, we defy thee. Your struggle is as nothing before the will of the never-ending darkness, an inexorable force more eternal than the gods themselves," Pharaoh began, and the tremors intensified. The monolith glowed so bright, that Lyrin could hardly look at it. "Lord Terraform, embodiment of the darkness present in all things, your time has come. No longer shall you flee from the light like the night from day. Return to the realm that is yours, a realm that needs your rules. By the power of I, the embodiment of your will, and my allies, I command thee, be free! Freedom is yours for the taking!"

Pharaoh's voice grew in volume until it was nearly thunderous. Lyrin watched the monolith even as he grew lightheaded from blood loss. The monolith grew brighter and brighter, until it finally exploded.

* * *

"Why do you persist in fighting?" Emperor Mateus hissed, effortlessly avoiding Archbishop Vicard's every attack. Vicard was breathing heavily as he slashed again and again at the Emperor, sweat pouring down his brow. The Emperor was stronger than anything he could have ever imagined. He was being toyed with, and he knew that.

"I…will never…give up!" Vicard gritted out, but then a powerful cyclone of winds tore into his skin, shredding his robes and drawing even more blood. Vicard screamed in pain, even though he knew the Emperor was holding back.

Mateus was suddenly behind Vicard, hovering with his back to the archbishop. Vicard felt pain explode in the back of his head as the Emperor smashed it with his demonic fist, without even looking. Vicard fell to the ground, holding his head, which was now bleeding as well. His head swam, he could hardly stay conscious. At this rate, death was beginning to become much more appealing.

Vicard felt even more pain, beyond anything he could have ever imagined, as the Emperor sent a wave of crimson blades flying towards him faster than his eye could follow. However, Mateus was deliberately aiming the blades so that they wouldn't inflict fatal blows, instead slicing and stabbing through non-vital areas to cause as much pain as possible. Even so, Vicard refused to die, forcing himself to his feet, staggering as he fought to keep his balance.

"I grow tired of this. It is time for you to die, Archbishop," the Emperor snarled, his demonic mouth opening in a roar. His hand shot out, the palm arching upwards as lightning sparked on the tips of his claws. The infernal lightning bolt streaked down and electrocuted Vicard, causing the archbishop to fall to the ground and writhe in agony. "Lowly worm! Die like the insect that you are!"

Vicard felt death swiftly approaching as the lightning coursed through his body. There was nothing to be done. He could not win. It was time for him to accept his fate.

Just as he came to this conclusion, the ground several decimeters away exploded with a force unlike any this world had ever seen. A pillar of black and white magical power a mile in diameter erupted from the ground, breaking through the ceiling and destroying a massive portion of Krystmar itself. The pillar of power even penetrated the cloud level, evaporating it and traveling so far up that it pierced the atmosphere in its entirety.

Even the Emperor was surprised enough to break off his electrical assault, Vicard sighing in sweet relief. Mateus gazed in wonder at the incredible spectacle, no doubt wondering how such power could exist. It was immeasurable; the Emperor couldn't even feel any kind of pressure at all. That usually meant one of two things: either the magic power was so weak it had no pressure, or it was so strong it was out of anyone's comprehension. The Emperor's power was of the latter, but he had never felt anyone else with that kind of power.

"They…they did it…" Vicard murmured weakly, and then collapsed, barely able to move.

"What is the meaning of this?" Emperor Mateus questioned curiously, watching the destructive wave of magical power.

Something was inside the light. Two reddish points of light flickered into existence, glowing malevolently. The Emperor felt a wave of evil energy pass over his form, the likes of which he'd never felt. A cloaked figure materialized inside of the pillar.

Terraform had been reborn.

* * *

Fucking hell, this was an incredibly long chapter, compared to my usual. By the time I hit my 9000-word minimum, I was at the part where they were meeting Pharaoh, so I had to keep going. I had the goal of resurrecting Terraform in this chapter, so I did it. It's done! The dark lord Terraform is reborn, mwahahaha!

So how mindfucked were those templars? Hell, I was even mindfucking myself trying to imagine the situation they were in. God, I'm glad I'm not in their situation. It was like something out of a horror movie. I had originally planned for everyone to die but Lyrin, but I hadn't planned to have them get royally mindfucked in the process. That part sort of wrote itself.

By the way, the cave, the city, and the reddish water and the skulls all came to me in a dream a long time ago, when I was a kid. Needless to say, I woke up bawling, traumatized because it had been horrifying. Which of course, made it perfect for Terraform's tomb.

Though out of all of them, I tortured Lyrin a lot. I took inspiration from many different things in the making of this mental torment. I took some inspiration from my dream, this one Teen Titans episode where Raven gets literally mindfucked (don't judge me, that show is still the shit), and also the movie 1408. Which mindfucks the hell out of that poor man. I really wanted to make this scene horrifying to the characters as well as the readers.

Oh, and remember that fight between Exdeath and the Lich in chapter one? They were standing right on top of Terraform's resting place! How ironic is that?! I did that on purpose.

Next chapter, I will describe Terraform and Mateus' initial battle. The story will not end that chapter, so don't worry. I still need to expand upon Claire and Tidus' relationship, as well as the invasions of the other regions. There is still a whole war to go.

Shoutout time!

**Justyoumi**: Indeed, Vicard had to be strong when I created him so that he could hold back the Emperor long enough for Lyrin to complete his mission. Of course, he is nothing compared to the Emperor's Power of Hellfire form.

**Fadedsolitude28**: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I wasn't that satisfied with how it turned out myself, but I'm happy to hear that it went over well with at least one of my readers.

**Karthik9**: I guess that's one way of doing it. Thank you for the compliment though.

**Tintti**: When you get an account, you send me a private message. I feel like I could have an enjoyable conversation with you about this story. Anyhow, I'm glad you can see my FF2 references. I wanted to tie the Emperor's back-story in as much as I could. I realize inserting the generals and expecting people to integrate them with their experience of the canon is hard, but I did try and stay true to the canon as a whole. Firion was still there, Leon was mentioned, and of course, Pandemonium itself. Can't have the Emperor without his fabulous pink and blue castle.

"_NO ONE MESSES WITH THE SEXY AND ALMIGHTY EMPEROR!"_

I am guessing you are a huge Emperor fangirl. Or it's a man crush. Either one. I can't tell because I'm an idiot. Moving on.

I'm glad you enjoyed Terraform's tomb. Porter's hand ripping off was supposed to be disgusting. In fact, everything about this tomb is supposed to be horrible and disgusting, hence all of the blood and undead motifs. I hope it achieved that purpose in this chapter, and I'm sure I can trust you to tell me if it did or not.

I guess we're going to have to agree to disagree on FFX, because I loved and always will love the game and its characters. Not to mention I think I spent countless hours training a blitzball team…fun memories.

Lastly, I find your explanation of the Emperor rather intriguing. He did not have much dialogue in FF2 apart from claiming his supreme power and that no one else could rule, so all I had to go on was his personality in both Dissidias, and I never really attached a shallow part to him, though I have to agree with you about that. However, I watched the remake of FFII for the playstation with the CG opening, which is partly what inspired this story. The Emperor's appearance there looked fucking amazing, and I drew inspiration from the demonic knights that appeared there as the basis for the dark knights featured in my story. I'll do my best to have a few comical moments involving the Emperor, but there are not many occasions that calls for comedy here, save for the interaction between Tsumire and pretty much anyone.

Anyhow that's all I have to say.

Keelah Se'lai,

The Proud Quarian,

Terran34.


End file.
